


A Lion's Flower

by happyhogan



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Jaime Lannister Deserved Better, Original Story - Freeform, Romance, Seasons 2-8, Television, completed work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:48:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 24,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25975432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happyhogan/pseuds/happyhogan
Summary: Many years ago, Rose Tyrell made a grave decision that would cost the most powerful families in all of Westeros to despise each other and break ties that had bonded them for centuries. Upon Catelyn Stark's surprise arrival to Renly Baratheon's camp, Rose must face her past and the man she swore she would leave behind to reunite the families of Westeros.Also published on Wattpad under Happy Hogan (same user as this account).All original storylines and characters belong to me, everything else from the series both TV and Books, belong to its creators.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16
Collections: Game of Thrones





	1. Chapter 1

A cold breeze blew throughout the camp and it was as if Rose felt winter arriving already. But the sound of clanging metal, the moans and groans of gruff men pulled her out of her thoughts. Rose Tyrell, the oldest Tyrell daughter sat behind King Renly and Queen Margaery, quietly watching the tournament in front of her. Loras was currently fighting against a soldier twice his size who could squash his head like a grape. 

"Loras! Highgarden!" Margaery yells and claps her hands gleefully with a large smile on her face for her brother.   
The soldier knocks Loras down and charges at him, holding a sword to his face, ready to kill. 

"I yield! I yield!" Loras yells a bit frantically and pants from being out of breath. The soldier pulls back and Loras quickly gets up and moves away from the soldier, weary of their attempt to kill.

"Well fought!" Renly applauds. "Approach." He calls to the soldier who won. The soldier approaches the tented as instructed where Renly, Margaery, and Rose were sitting. The soldier then kneels in front of Renly out of respect for their King. 

"Rise. Remove your helmet." The soldier removes their helmet and gasps are heard throughout the small arena, both men and women alike surprised at the face behind the helmet. It was a woman, but not just any woman, Brienne of Tarth from the North and daughter of an anointed sir and noble family. Rose smiles in pure happiness as Brienne was an old acquaintance of hers. They were not old friends per say, who could joke or catch up over cheese and wine, but they encountered one another often based on the locale of the camp and got along well for being two very different people. 

"You are all your father promised and more my lady. I've seen Sir Loras bested once or twice, but never in that fashion." Rose glanced at Loras who looked unpleased with Renly's comments. Margaery seemed to catch on to Loras' attitude. 

"Now now, my love. My brother fought valiantly for you." 

"That he did, my queen. But there can only be one champion! Brienne of Tarth, you may ask anything of me you desire. If it is within my power, it is yours."   
Brienne bows to Renly again, but this time she knew she may get what she wants. 

"Your grace, I ask the honor of a place in your kingsguard." 

"What?" Loras gasps, dumbfounded by her request. 

Renly looks to Margaery, who's eyes have not left Brienne's. Renly then looks to Rose who nods her head at him. Rose's respect for the woman was high. She also knew that Brienne of Tarth would provide a great service to Renly as part of his kingsguard. The kingsguard was a group of the most trusted, valiant men guarding the most respected ruler of the land. 

"I will be one of your seven, pledge my life to yours, and keep you safe from all harm." 

"Done! Rise, Brienne of the Kingsguard." 

Everyone began to clap, including Loras, for the champion Brienne of Tarth, now member of her King's Kingsguard. From behind Rose, the shuffling of knights armor is quickly outnumbering the number of people cheering and it disrupts the festivities at hand. Rose turns around to meet the face of Lady Catelyn Stark, now an old friend, who bore a son who claims to be the King in the North.

"Lady Stark." Rose curtsied politely and smiled at the matron stark. 

"Lady Rose, it's a pleasure to see you again." 

"You as well Lady Catelyn." She smiled at Rose and turned toward Renly and Margaery, where she is introduced to Renly Baratheon for the first time. 

"Your grace, I have the honor to bring you Lady Catelyn Stark, sent as an envoy by her son Robb, Lord of Winterfell." 

"And King of the North." Catelyn added. 

"Lady Catelyn. May I present my wife Margaery of House Tyrell?" Margaery curtsied. 

"You are very welcome here, Lady Stark. I'm sorry for your loss." Inciting her sorrows over hearing of the loss of Ned Stark in the capital of Kings Landing. The Lannister's were treacherous to many. They were unapologetic, wealthy, born into privilege, and murderer of enemies. 

"You are most kind." Catelyn appreciated the sentiment but had heard it from every person she passed, and was perhaps trying to heal now that some time has gone by. 

"My Lady I swear to you I will see the Lannisters answer for your husbands murder. When I take Kings Landing, I will bring you Joffery's head." Renly promises her valiantly and boldly. 

"It will be enough to know that justice was done, my Lord." 

"Has your son marched against Tywin Lannister yet?" Renly then inquired regarding Robb Stark, not his enemy but competition in some aspects because he controlled the North. 

"I do not sit on my son's war councils. And if I did I would not share his strategies with you." Lady Catelyn defends intelligently and protectively of her son. 

"If Robb Stark wants an alliance with us, he should come himself, not hide behind his mother's skirts." 

"My son is fighting a war, not playing at one." 

"Don't worry my Lady, our war is just beginning." Margaery, Renly, Loras, and the newly appointed Brienne of Tarth moved around Lady Stark and Rose. The latter woman led the old friends to Rose's tent where they could speak in private. Rose immediately felt the need to apologize to Catelyn before they began making their way throughout the camp. 

"I apologize that I did not send a raven when I learned of Ned's death. He was a wonderful man and a lovely friend. I am sorry for your loss." Catelyn nodded in understanding and held out her arm for Rose to take. They began walking through the camp, aware of the stares but nonetheless ignoring them altogether. 

"Not to worry my dear. Our family has always had a soft place in our hearts for you. You have always been so kind." Rose smiled at her kind words even in a moment of mourning. 

"How are Sansa and Arya? Still fighting I imagine?" She stifled a laugh and Catelyn mirrored her as she knew all too well the trouble the two children could conjure. 

"Of course. They, to my knowledge, are still in Kings Landing. Ned, as I am sure you understand, was hand to King Robert. When the King and Queen had come to Winterfell several months ago Sansa was planned to be married to Prince Joffrey." 

Rose nodded and understood the now they were under the Lannister's thumb in Kings Landing because of the arranged marriage of Sansa and Joffrey. Poor girl, Rose thought as she remembered the torturous little boy Joffrey was said to be from Tyrion's letters. 

"Have you received any word regarding Sansa and Arya since Ned's death?" Rose asked her with no expectation for Catelyn to say yes. Catelyn shook her head no quickly.

"No I am afraid not. But, Rose, can we speak somewhere a little more private? I do not feel fully comfortable sharing this news in front of military men." Rose nodded and led them to her tent, which was near the center of the camp. She let go of Lady Catelyn's arm and closed the drapes, giving them some sort of privacy in the make shift land. Catelyn looked at Rose with a pitiful look and Rose knew it couldn't be good, whomever the look derived from. A pit grew in her stomach as Rose believed almost immediately it could only be about one person whom she hadn't seen in years.

"What did I do to deserve such a look?" Rose inquired although she could perhaps figure it out herself. 

"Robb has taken a prisoner. Not too long ago to be exact. Right after the battle at whispering wood."

"And what does this exactly have to do with me, Lady Catelyn, if I may inquire?" 

"The prisoner is Jaime Lannister." Rose's face fell and became serious as her suspicions came true and her heart began pounding a bit faster and her mind began to race back to everything she said she wanted to forget. Her mind and heart deceived her with curiosity and it was as if she needed to know more to move on. So she asked;

"Jaime?" 

"Yes, Jaime."

"How?"

"Robb's army over powered the Lannister's. Theon Greyjoy brought him to Robb, who brought him back to the camp. The Lannister's have Sansa and Arya. They crippled and tried to murder my Bran and his bastard son killed Ned! Rose... you are the only one who he listens to. I need you to come back with me. Help me bring my girls home." Catelyn pleaded with her, reminding her of all the power Rose held over a man who seemed untouchable. Rose shook her head and paced back and forth in her tents small space. Her thoughts were racing faster than they ever had. She didn't realize that anger and sadness built up to become a wall that has closed her off from emotion but here she was, upset and interested, even when trying to be as distant as possible. 

"After all that has happened Catelyn, you believe I want to go and help him?"

"No not help him. Help Robb and the army get information from Jaime. Maybe he will tell us about my children. If you had children you would understand how badly this hurts. I don't expect things to be the way they once were but I know he will listen to you. Please, Rose." 

Rose thought for some time. After minutes of contemplation, Rose looked up at a pleading mother who wants her children back. Rose was useless in Renly's camp, only aiding Margaery when the time came and nothing more. She was a glorified sister who got stared at by the soldiers who sang songs about her and gossiped about her affairs. Perhaps a trip to see an old friend wouldn't be so bad for her morale but she knew the moment she saw him sitting or standing or looking at her with the face she grew to know too well, she would bend.

She would follow Jaime Lannister to the end of the world and she hated knowing she would.

The choice was hers to make and she nodded at the matriarch of the Stark's with determined eyes.

"Alright. I will come with you."


	2. Chapter 2

The next few days had been weary for Rose. Not only was the weather poor and cold, but the overlying dread of what is to come becomes overbearing in most of her thoughts. Lady Catelyn had been keeping her company, making small talk about what has happened since they last saw one another but Catelyn knew too much and wanted Rose to know that she was an ally and didn't care about the past so many made a fuss about. Neither of them had the ability to leave the camp just yet, as the weather prevented any possible travel. So they sat together and did their daily, mundane tasks. 

"I remember before Bran was born, 10 name days ago, how Ned and I travelled to Kings Landing for Joffrey Baratheon's name day. King Robert insisted that Ned came, so we went. I can remember the gold decor lining the castle and the people, how happy they all seemed. After feasting one evening, Ned and I were making our way back to our rooms and took a long walk through the gardens." 

Catelyn looked over at Rose sheepishly, having never discussed this with anyone. Catelyn never spoke of such intimate moments because she felt it was un-lady like to do so, nevertheless she continued on because it was too big of a scandal to keep secret. Rose had heard so many different stories about her personal life she wasn't sure what was true or not anymore. From the tone of Catelyn's voice Rose knew what she was going to say, but she remembered that day clearly because it was one of the first times she had to face the realization that what she and Jaime had gotten themselves into wasn't something they should have ever done. 

"I know what you are going to say... you don't have to tell me." Rose sighed and walked to fill her cup of wine. 

"Every person I've ever met says the same thing. 'How could you let the Kingslayer touch you?'; 'Do you have any respect for yourself or your future husband?' Soon those types of comments just ate me alive. I couldn't take it anymore, so I left." 

"Rose, if it means anything, Ned and I didn't see it like all of those people. We saw two people who had passion, love, for one another. Although, I understand us women are not suppose to love or touch anyone who is not our husbands, because we are suppose to be faithful..." 

"I was not married nor betrothed to be. We broke vows and I understand that. We committed sin in the eyes of the church and God and I understand that as well. I wouldn't change what happened simply because others feel I did something against their moral judgement. It's not their life to live." 

"I suppose most women wouldn't if they had been sleeping with Jaime Lannister." Another voice stated. Rose and Catelyn turned around to face Petyr Baelish. Petyr was a snake of a person. His face reminded Rose of a rat and his figure conveyed nothing other than betrayal and deception. Why he was at Renly's camp was beyond Rose's recollection but she knew no one held an affinity for him, especially Catelyn, who, was entirely convinced he had something to do with Ned's beheading. 

"You betrayed Ned." Lady Catelyn stood, angrily facing Littlefinger and accusing him of conspiracy of murder. Catelyn was beyond angry that he had the guts to show his face to her after what he did and within the year she had dealt with more heartbreak and sadness than her entire life and it was because of that man. 

"Betrayed? I wanted him to serve as protector of the realm. I begged him to seize the moment." 

"I trusted you. My husband trusted you. And you repaid our faith with treachery." 

"No, my Lady." 

"Get out!" She shouted at him and stood from her sitting position. Her fists clenched at her side and her face was red with repulsion. 

"Cat, I've loved you since I was a boy. It seems to me that fate has given us this chance." Petyr's attempt for sympathy fell on deaf ears. 

"Have you lost your mind?" 

"Do you want to see your girls again? Sansa, more beautiful than ever, Arya, just as wild as ever? Both girls are healthy and safe. But you know the Queen and you know Joffrey. I fear for their longevity if they remain in the Capitol." Now it was clear to the both of them what Petyr wanted, a bargain. Petyr knew Sansa and Arya were the only two left in Catelyn's world she would do anything for. She was lost without her children and now he had the attention of the only woman he's ever loved and the other who would fit perfectly in his devious plans. 

"What do you want?" She snares at him yet continues to listen because she wants her girls back. Rose listened intently but remained removed from the conversation. This wasn't about her or what Catelyn wanted her for, but for the girls who didn't deserve to be held captive by the Lannister's in King's Landing. 

"The Lannister's will trade your daughters for the Kingslayer." Rose's head perked up because suddenly it was about her and what she could do. 

"Of course they will."

"I assume that may be the reason you have come to Lady Tyrell. As her... affections for the Kingslayer may bring your daughters home. But, Jaime Lannister for two girls? Robb will never agree to those terms." The assumption that Robb wouldn't trade anything for his sister's safe return was faulty in and of itself. Robb would do anything for them and for his mother but needed Jaime for leverage over the war. If He could safely make a trade he would, but Petyr wanted it to be more complicated than that because he couldn't live with anything other than drama and deceit. 

"I'm not bringing these terms to him." Catelyn scoffed because Robb needed Jaime for the time being before he could properly make the trade or ensure the girls would be safely returned.

"I am bringing them to you." Petyr countered and Catelyn narrowed her eyes at him. 

"You think I keep secrets from my son? Robb has surprised them in battle but he is not a mother." 

"Consider it Cat, you may not get another chance. As for you Lady Tyrell, I wouldn't push your luck far. From what I have heard Cersei Lannister wants your head on a spike." 

"I am not surprised Petyr. The last time I saw Cersei Lannister I was sleeping with her brother. But I am sure you already know all of my secrets, right?" Rose replied with a similar look on her face to Catelyn. Needless to say, neither of the women liked Petyr or what he was trying to get them to do. 

"Secrets are secrets my Lady. If you don't want people to know private affairs, you shouldn't have done them so openly." Petyr smirks to himself and leaves the tent and his comments brewing. Rose's brain was turning with conflict and the reality if she truly wanted to follow through with the entire thing. Was Jaime truly worth saving those girls and bringing a small semblance of piece to Westeros? 

It took Rose little time to realize that when it came to Jaime, there was very little she wasn't willing to do. Her first and only serious love and he was trapped behind bars waiting to be possibly killed by the son of the woman she called a friend. There was a small possibility he would listen to her and take her advice if she got there fast enough, but it was a risk she was willing to take. 

"Catelyn, how long will it take us to get to Robb's camp?" Rose asked immediately after she concluded she did want to help Catelyn and try to help. 

"A short while. A fortnight perhaps." 

"Then we leave tomorrow. I don't care about the weather or the chances we have on this journey, we leave at dawn." 

And Rose left with Catelyn in the tent having no other option to agree.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning Rose and Catelyn were getting ready to leave Renly's camp, horse hooves and shouting could be heard outside the tent where Rose was writing a letter to Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion was the only Lannister who kept in touch, mostly for the fact they matched wits and Tyrion was never one to judge others status' or positions in life. Rose stood from her desk and peered outside to see Stannis Baratheon, Renly's brother, walking into Renly's tent and the hoards of guards on horseback surrounding it. 

Without exposing herself to the camp in her travelling attire, Rose peeled back the tent's flap so only her eyes could peer out. After she analyzed the scene and determined it was no threat and simply Stannis visiting Renly on business, she closed the tent again and finished her letter. Stamping it closed with a Tyrell seal, Rose stepped out and handed it to Brienne who was standing guard outside her makeshift home. 

"Brienne, please have this sent immediately to a raven. It is of the most urgent importance." Rose told her and Brienne took it and dismissed herself. Rose wrung her hands nervously and looked again to Renly's surrounded tent where she saw a woman in red standing by the opening. The woman felt Rose looking at her and met her eyes for a brief moment, perhaps a moment too long, but Rose's attention was diverted by Margaery who caught Rose before she could make her escape. 

"My dear Rose, how are you this evening?" Margaery smiled at her older sister with a fondness not many could say they had for their siblings. If there was anything Olenna Tyrell wanted her grandchildren to have more than anything in the world it was a strong bond. Rose laughed at her sister and her brows furrowed at the language she used.

"My dear? Margaery, no need to be so formal, and I am more than 10 namedays elder than you, please." Margaery let out her own laugh and Margaery took Rose's arm in her own, guiding her down to the water and the rocky beach the camp settled near. 

"Rose, I've never had the courage to ask you, but Lady Brienne showed me that I need to apparently have more, but why haven't you married?" Rose sighed and looked out toward the ocean. Margaery was infatuated with the idea of power and the structure of power. She knew from a young age that women in Westeros did not rise to power on their own, as unfortunate as it is, unless they had a strong partner in life, a husband who had money. Margaery was always trying to up her status in the world and pushed for bigger and better things for her family and those who she loved most. 

"Margaery, I do not expect you to understand why I have never married nor why father never forced me into a marriage." Rose was the opposite of Margaery in many ways. She was never one to seek power like Margaery, nor try to up her status simply because she would have been seen as an idol, a prophet to the people. Rose sought no one's opinions if she didn't need to, but surely everyone was more than willing to share theirs about her and what she did with her life. 

"Well I am plenty old now. And married, I believe I will understand." 

"Have you ever loved someone Margaery?" Margaery looked at her sister with a confused face. Of course she did, she loved Renly with her whole heart.

"Yes. I love Renly." 

"Is that the truth? You are married to Renly but that does not inquire that you love him as well."

"I love Renly." She stated again, this time more assertive. 

"Before father could find a suitor for me, I had already fallen in love. I was a fairly pretty young lady, living in King's Landing with father. I met a boy at the time, he must have been a few years older than I, and we fell in love. But to most suitors, I was no longer pure enough to be a bride and anyone who once wanted to marry me no longer had any interest. But I had stayed there for several more years and I stupidly carried on the affair-" 

"No love is stupid my Lady." Someone said behind them, cutting into their conversation. Rose and Margaery turned to face the red woman Rose had seen with Stannis' men. 

"I am Melisandre, a red priestess to the Lord of Light. The story of your lover hurts you? Does it my Lady?" Rose stood up defensively. Melisandre had never met the two Tyrell sisters before. Rose was taken aback by the woman's bluntness, her sheer disregard for authority or the fact that what she had implied was far beyond her relationship, or lack thereof, with Rose or Margaery. 

"I do not see why that concerns you?" 

"It does not, but to the gods it does. You have not asked forgiveness for your sins? Do the lions still haunt your thoughts?" 

"Excuse me?" 

"What lion?" Margaery asked, invested in the red priestess and her apparent inquiry into what Margaery wants to know about her own sister. 

"That is a story for another time. Margaery, come please." Rose demanded and began walking off and Margaery tried to call Rose back. 

"Rose-" 

"Excuse us Lady Melisandre but we have to leave." Margaery told Melisandre and the priestess gave a nod and Margaery followed after Rose who was walking at a fast pace. 

"Rose!" Margaery called after her sister and Rose turned around and yelled frustratingly at her sister. 

"No Margaery! I promised myself you would not be brought into my problems and if you know then you will have enemies. There are reasons that can not be explained and I am sorry. Go now, go to Renly and Loras, I'm sure they are looking for you." 

Magaery watched as her sister slowly disappeared from her line of sight and she was frustrated herself with Rose's lack of communication, or of openness. This was not the relationship she wished she had with her sister and it was disappointing. Margaery was so exhausted by the fighting that she barely realized Melisandre had followed her there and now stood beside her. 

"Lady Tyrell is right. You may want to stay away, or the lions might hunt you too." Melisandre's words implied a stark realization that Rose was being tracked, or hunted for that matter, by those who she wronged. Margaery whipped her head toward the red woman and she looked curiously at Margaery in return. 

"Be careful who you love, my dear. I see much hurt in your future by the hands of her enemies." 

Melisandre left without a word and mounted a horse not far from where Margaery was standing. Unsure of what to do with the information and fortune she seemingly just received, Margaery rushed to Renly in a panic, looking for a way to protect her sister and the family name. Renly was pouring a glass of wine when she came in and she was acting nervous at first glance but then became serious and determined in her approach. 

"My sister needs to go home. Back to Highgarden. She believes she has enemies who are trying to hurt her." 

"I can not say I am completely surprised. There have been rumors about your sister and her affairs." Renly passed it off as if it were nothing but a simple confession, not a surprise. 

"Care to enlighten me? Rose does not seem to want me to know. I am her sister and her Queen, she can not keep these kinds of things from me." 

"Are you positive she sees you as her Queen?" Margaery was taken back by Renly's comment. Of course her sister did. She saw Renly as her King and if Renly was her King, she would surely be the Queen. 

"Of course. She is my sister. What are you implying?" 

"Nothing my love. I am surprised that you have never heard rumors about Rose. She has quiet the reputation in Kings Landing. In fact, Robert would often speak of her. Not to the extent he talked about Lyanna Stark of course, but he enjoyed harassing the Kingslayer about her." Margaery furrowed her brows in confusion. Never had she heard of Robert speaking of Rose, let alone about specific things, but then again, she hadn't met Robert many times because of their rule north of Kingslanding. 

"The Kingslayer? Jaime Lannister?" Renly nodded and finished off the cup of wine. He gestured to Margaery as he went to fill his cup again, she shook her head, not wanting to drink in her state and questioned him more.

"Is that who the rumors are about? Jaime Lannister and Rose? She would never. You know the accusations against him, do you not? About lying with his sister? That is appalling and a sin." Margaery was far too innocent for Renly in some capacities. Renly snickered at her, not to be rude, but simply at the comments she made. 

"Since when have you cared about sin?" 

"Since it involved my sister." 

"And what do you know of the rumors Margaery? About what happened between the two? I am sure Petyr Baelish would be happy to enlighten you." 

"Why can you not tell me? Why can no one tell me?" Margaery yelled and Renly shooshed her and grabbed her upper body with both of his hands and looked at her pleadingly. 

"Because the Lannister's are dangerous. Cersei has been out for blood since Rose left King's Landing years ago. I have been told that Rose and Tyrion Lannister are in contact but what happened between Jaime and Rose destroyed the relationship between House Tyrell and House Lannister. And it seems whatever Ned Stark did ruined the relationship with House Stark as well. Margaery, I would advise you to stay quiet and innocent for as long as you can. Promise me this? We cannot afford to lose what we have built and the Lannister's will tear it from us if they have the chance. You cannot buy into the want of knowledge, it can be the end of all if it is just horrible enough. Promise me you will not speak a word of this to anyone?" 

"I promise Renly." Renly nodded and asked for Margaery to send in Loras once she left. 

On the other side of the makeshift road, Rose was getting ready to leave, shoving whatever she could in a small carrying satchel for the journey. Her life was already in danger and she's avoided death for as long as she can remember, perhaps its slowly coming with whatever stupid decision she would make when she sees Jaime. In the end, she wouldn't regret not telling Margaery at that moment because the second she left camp with Catelyn Stark everything fell apart anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things have been changed from the show for the plot of this story. The specific changes have to do with Brienne being present for Renly's death and Catelyn leaving with Brienne afterwards. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)

Margaery hadn't seen her sister for the remainder of that day. She assumed it was because of their conversation and she needed to blow off steam but Margaery rarely went a day without speaking to her sister and it was eating her alive when she couldn't be located when Renly was found dead in his tent. Margaery could do nothing but stand around lost with tears streaming down her face without her sister there to comfort her. 

Word of Renly's death travelled quickly throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Rose, Catelyn, and the knight that was chosen to accompany them on their journey, Brienne, recieved the news of Renly's murder when they stopped at a small keep halfway to Robb's camp. Brienne knocked on the room that Rose was staying in fairly frantically before she was able to control her emotions. 

"Brienne, what is it?" Rose answered the door and notice that the woman, who she had grown to know and be friendly with, was distressed and looked broken. 

"My Lady, there is news from Renly Baratheon's camp." 

"What is it?" Rose was almost deadpan in her comment but it was clear it was something far more serious than she imagined. 

"Renly was killed. They say it was a shadow that stabbed him in his tent and it had the face of Stannis Baratheon." 

"A shadow killed Renly? A shadow?" Rose asked with more confusion than she intended but she had never heard such a thing. 

"Yes, a shadow. Lady Margaery is said to be doing fine-" 

"Thank you, Brienne. Please." Rose held up her hand to signal for Brienne to stop talking and she shut the door in her face. Rose put a hand on her forehead in stress and couldn't comprehend that Renly was killed by something other than human, which indicated that the shadow could come and kill her to, depending on who sent it. She also couldn't believe she left Margaery alone and now she had to deal with it. 

Rose barely said another word the rest of the trip because her mind was swimming with emotions. She felt horrible for Margaery, for Loras, and that she left them alone. But she also knew that Olenna would take them in right away and they had a home and food on the table if they wanted it. Margaery would only grow from this and in some part of her conscious, Rose knew Margaery would use it to her advantage. Rose was also increasingly nervous about seeing Jaime again and as the days continued to pass and the camp was suddenly in sight, she felt her stomach drop in anticipation. She had no idea how he would react to seeing her, or if he would care at all. She left him and has never tried to contact him again in fear of what Cersei or Tywin would do to her, but she still cared as much as she did then, no matter their problems. 

When they arrived at the camp it had been early morning, a little over one week after they left and Renly had died. The sun was shielded by the looming clouds and the dirt ground was covered with fog. Rose thought that if the scenery wasn't fitting for her impending conflict, she didn't know what was. As they filed into the camp, soldiers and nurses alike were sorting through bodies and bloody armor on the field, a battle had just taken place. Brienne, Catelyn, and Rose dismounted their horses and walked the soldiers. Some of the men lowered their heads in respect toward Lady Stark but many stared at the large armored woman standing next to her. Rose couldn't help but feel some eyes were lingering and whispering about her, she heard one mention the golden rose and she wrapped her cloak around her just a little tighter than before. 

Lady Catelyn approached a man who reminded Rose too much of Ned. He was talking, more like flirting, with a young nurse who was just as smitten with him as he was with her. Rose could see the young woman's eyes light up as they spoke and remembered the feeling of love too well. It reminded her of her love so long forgotten but so very present at the camp. 

"Robb." Lady Catelyn called out to the curly haired man and his head shot up and over to where the three of them were currently standing and he let a smile grace his face. He was a beautiful man, Rose had to admit. His smile was perfect, his hair was curly and he looked absolutely thrilled to see his mother again. 

"Mother." He brought the girl along with him but enclosed his mother with a tight hug upon her return. 

"Mother, this is Lady Talisa. She's been helping with the wounded. She's been very helpful." 

"Lady Talisa." Catelyn greeted to her and she bowed to the Lady whose son she has fallen for. 

"Lady Stark." Talisa dismissed herself biding farewell her her King and his mother. 

"I've missed you." Robb told his mother and turned his head away from the girl who he had just watched walk away from him. 

"Yes, you look positively forlorn." Catelyn joked with him and he looked down with a grin and a small blush. 

"You surprised me, that's all. I didn't think I would see you today." 

"I wish you were free to follow your heart." Catelyn sympathetically responded. 

"I know." Robb nodded. 

"Robb, I have brought back Lady Rose Tyrell. I believe she could be of some assistance to getting Arya and Sansa back." Rose stepped forward at Catelyn's recognition and curtsied to Robb. He looked at her and he didn't believe he had ever met a Tyrell before. 

"Your Grace, it is a pleasure to meet you." 

"I don't believe I have ever met a Tyrell. I hear rumors about them, but I try not to listen." 

"Rose is the eldest daughter of Mace Tyrell. She knew your father and I before you were born." Catelyn advised him. 

"Yes that is true, I knew you as a babe, though that seems like many years ago now. Your father was an honorable man. I am sorry for what happened to him." 

"Thank you. But I believe we have something valuable to the Lannister's enough to prevent them from killing Arya or Sansa. So I do not believe we will be needing your help. I will allow you to seek shelter and feast with us for a few days then I will have a guard escort you back to Highgarden." Robb began walking back to the strategy tent while his confused mother trailed after him. Brienne and Rose followed the two Starks and they entered the tent after Catelyn, the three all hoping that he will change his mind at their suggestion. 

"Robb, Lady Tyrell may be the only one here who can help. Just because we have the Kingslayer does not mean Cersei will give our girls back." 

"Your Grace, if I may, Jaime Lannister is the most stubborn person I have ever met, but if we can't get his guard down just enough we may have a good chance at getting Sansa and Arya back." Rose stated. 

"And why should I believe you?" He challenged her and she cleared her throat, ready to face whatever accusations he would throw her way. 

"When we love someone, all of our guards come down eventually. For some people, even after they are gone and the love is no longer in front of you, the guards are still down."

"So the rumors are true? I would not have let you in my camp if I believed them. I do not want a Lannister sympathizer in my camp." Robb became hostile and against her quickly. Rose spoke as calmly as she could against his assumption. 

"I do not sympathize with the Lannister's. The Tyrell's have pledged allegiance to house Baratheon, to King Renly, but because I know your mother to be kind and true and your father was the same, I believed I could help."

"Robb just give her a chance." Catelyn pleaded. 

"We can not choose who we love. It is beyond our control and I would like to believe that you can relate to what I am saying. But I did not come here for love, I came here to help a friend." Robb nodded in understanding. Rose was here to help her friend, his mother, before anything. 

"I apologize for what I said. I understand completely. Mother could you please take her to see the prisoner?" Catelyn nodded and motioned for Rose and Brienne to follow behind her. 

"And Lady Tyrell-" Robb called out from behind the strategy table as they exited the tent. 

"Do think of who the Tyrell's will align themselves with next. King Renly is no more and we are always looking for powerful allies." Rose knew by the look on his face he did not truly trust her or her intentions, and honestly, Rose couldn't recall if she trusted her own self to make the right choice either. 

Catelyn took the lead on the two others and Brienne followed closely behind her because she was assigned to protect the Stark matriarch. Rose struggled in the mud and blood and tried to keep up but whatever prison they kept Jaime in was on the other side of camp near the edge and far away from anyone he could hurt trying to escape. Rose could hear Catelyn talk to the guards that stood near the structure but was still too far to see inside. 

"Lady Stark." The two soldiers called to her in a formal, soldier manner. They stood at attention until she spoke which she did before Rose had the chance to catch up. 

"I am here to speak with our prisoner. Kingslayer." She told them and they looked at each other before nodding for her to move toward the gate of the makeshift prison. 

Jaime Lannister looked up toward Catelyn. He had been sitting in so much blood and dirt and shit that she could barely tell this was the man they captured three weeks ago on the battlefield. His hair was browned and greasy, not having been washed and the beard was becoming unruly and long. He had cuts and bruises on his body from the kicks and hits he took daily from the guards trying to get war secrets, whereabouts, and other information out of him. But like the loyal Lannister he was, Jaime never said a word about anything. Jaime smiled at Catelyn and tried to act as if being a prisoner did not bother him, though it certainly did. 

"Lady Stark, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He cockily asked as his ego had barely taken a hit throughout the time he's been there. 

"I am not here to bring you pleasure Kingslayer. Where are my daughters?" She interrogated, giving him an opportunity to tell her before she resorted to Rose. 

"I have been chained up to this post for god knows how long and you expect me to still know where your two girls might be? A smart tactic. But I do not know." 

"Liar!" Catelyn fumed at him and he found it amusing. 

"Maybe you just won't talk to us. Maybe a Stark or a guard is too formal for you too spill your secrets." Jaime was confused at her suggestion. He did not know where Sansa or Arya were, especially after having been chained to a post for several weeks. He had no information about them but would never tell them anything because it would mean, no matter what, he gave in to their abuse. 

"And who would be so informal that I would chat away with? My brother, sister? Don't tell me, my father? Bring some tea and cakes. I'll probably need a bath though first." He joked but honestly had no clue on what she was trying to get at and Catelyn laughed at him and he heard another person breathing heavily as if it were a task to do anything, including walking.

"Did you bring a fat man to make me talk?" Catelyn smiled deviously and he rolled his eyes at her and threw his head back against the post. 

"A fat man, no. But someone who might make you talk." 

Brienne moved out of the way and a face he thought he'd never see again took her place next to Catelyn Stark. His head repositioned itself forward and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. From the bottom of her dirty dress to the top of her brown hair, Rose was still the woman he loved all those years ago and now she was here, out of breath, to try to convince him to tell the Starks where the girls were. Rose looked older, fuller, but not in a bad way. She still had that Tyrell charm and the style of the wealthy woman she was but she was concerned about him based on the look on her face. He felt a pang of regret, hurt, and ultimately betrayal, but let it go because he had to protect his family, right? His eyes switched quickly between caring and concern to stoic and unfeeling. Rose could sense the pain and hostility the moment he propped up one of his knees and quirked his head to the side. 

"What power could she possibly have over me?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know these chapters are not super long, but they do get a bit longer as we get further into seasons 6/7/8. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)

Jaime's words struck a harsh chord for Rose and her feelings, though she had known the man well enough to know that he was far more emotional than the front he has established for himself. The two did not break eye contact no matter who they were talking to and Catelyn knew that the four, Brienne, herself, and the two guards wouldn't be there for long. 

"Lady Stark, would you be so kind to give us a moment alone?" Rose asked her in a firm and determined tone. Catelyn nodded and put a hand on Brienne's arm, ushering her away. 

"Lady Stark, how do you know she will not help him escape? We cannot trust her." Brienne said after watching the first interaction between two lovers who had been separated by fear. 

"Come Brienne, I must see my son. Lady Tyrell when you are done find Brienne, she will show you to your tent." Rose nodded and the two women left.

The guards were still present, sitting around, talking to themselves but occasionally looking toward the direction of Rose but further away from the cell than they were before. To Rose, Jaime seemed to have aged sitting in the makeshift wooden cage the northerners called a cell. He was dirty, his hair longer, a full beard covered his finely sculpted face. There were cuts and dried blood all over his face, though nothing too bad. His clothes were dirty as well and it was as if he hadn't bathed in months, but she could understand. He was Robb Stark's prisoner after all. For two people who were once so close, it was like watching two strangers meet for the first time. 

"Where are the girls?" 

"How could I possibly know? I've been Robb Stark's prisoner for... gods only know how long. You know, Lady Stark is convinced that I know where her girls are too... yet, I have been sitting in this cage. I've been here since poor Ned Stark lost his head... but they seem to forget that. Do you still write to my brother?" Rose furrowed her brows at Jaime and he looks at her inquisitively now. 

"You think I didn't know? Tyrion was so gracious to let me read them. I wonder, how is Ser Loras now that Renly is dead?" 

"How do you-" 

"-the soldiers talk, you would be surprised what they talk about. I hear your sister is already looking for another husband." 

"Enough about my sister, about the soldiers, about Tyrion, and Ned. I am here to help Lady Stark get her girls back, you of all people should know how a mother would do anything to protect her children." 

"What are you implying? That I am a mother? Gods I didn't kn-" Jaime laughed at the comment and looked around his cage in amusement. He couldn't recall Rose being this humorous when they were together. 

"-You know how Cersei is. She would kill if she had to for one of her children. If I write to Tyrion from this camp I will be killed for treason if it gets in the wrong hands. I know Sansa is set to marry King Joffrey. I assume she is relatively safe in the Capitol. No one has seen Arya, I couldn't even begin to guess where she is. But I know if Robb isn't careful, Sansa won't be so safe in the Capitol. It is my understanding that the King isn't well liked, and if one of them dies, I don't believe they would hesitate to kill you and send your body back to your family." 

"What about you?" 

"What about me?" 

"On Lady Stark's part maybe it was clever to bring you here, but to all of them-" he brings his chained hands up and moves them from side to side, referencing the Stark soldiers. 

"- you are a Lannister sympathizer." 

"The Tyrell's have pledged allegiance to Renl-" 

"-Renly is dead. And I am not talking about your father or grandmother. You. To them you are a Lannister sympathizer. They believe rumors, when they hear I lay with my sister, that the King is illegitimate, that Jon Arryn was poisoned, or that you loved a Lannister, they believe it. I wouldn't say you are safe here. Robb Stark would have your head as quickly as he would have mine." Rose heard guards rising behind her. She turned her head to see Alton Lannister, Jaime's distant cousin, being brought toward the cage. 

"Lady Tyrell, if you would please move." One of the guards asked. Rose moved over a bit, leaving room for the guards to enter and chain up the Lannister cousin. 

"My'Lady, Lady Stark asked me to bring you to her at once." Another guard approached Rose. She ignored them and turned her attention back to Jaime. 

"Do not do anything stupid Jaime." Jaime smirked to himself and raised his head to Rose and the guard behind her. 

"No promises Rose." 

And just like that the conversation was over faster than it began and the two lovers were strangers again. 

The tent that the three women left Robb in was the one the guard brought Rose back to. She noticed that the same people as before were there and Catelyn was sitting, eating her meal at the table. Robb greeted her and motioned for her to join the Starks at the table. 

"Lady Tyrell, you understand the importance of getting my sisters back, did the Kingslayer say anything of any importance?" Robb asked, waiting patiently for any news she could have gotten out of him. Rose thought for a moment and what she could tell him and Catelyn. She could say that Sansa was still in Kingslanding and she could write to Tyrion for a trade. She could tell them that Arya was gone and so was Sansa so she could return to Margaery and Loras but she couldn't let Jaime sit in that cage or be killed for something he had no knowledge of. 

"No. He said that your soldiers, your grace, see me as a Lannister sympathizer and as much as I remember you accused me of being one as well. He said that if anything happens you'll have my head as well." Robb was surprised she played that card against him, but it was strategic and smart to gain trust. He knew he did wrong and implied something he shouldn't have when they met and in order to see the safe return of his sisters, he must regain her trust and build up a relationship to make it happen. 

"I apologized for my misjudgment when we first met. I promise we will get you back to Highgarden safely. Now, if you would be willing, my mother has suggested that you feast with us tonight." Robb proposed and Rose looked pleasantly welcome to the idea that she would have the opportunity to take it easy for the rest of the night and get to know Robb, as well as discuss the next steps to get Sansa and Arya back. But the thought of Jaime was eating away at her every thought. 

"It would be my pleasure your grace." 

So Rose washed up in the tent that Brienne led her too and joined the Starks for dinner. Little was solved in the issue but she felt a sense of trust beginning to grow. After dinner, Rose returned to the same tent and dressed for dinner before brushing her hair in the vanity they placed in the room. She was lost in thoughts when a commotion started outside and a hoard of people created chaos outside. Rose had no intention of becoming involved because Brienne would warn her if it was any type of threat and protect her from it, but something felt off, felt different, about the situation. 

Rose continued on with her brushing when Brienne barged in with Catelyn Stark and Robb in tow. Robb pushed passed Brienne and grabbed Rose roughly by the arm, yanking her up and angrily yelling at her. 

"Where is the Kingslayer!?" He demanded to know but she had no idea what he was talking about. 

"What?" Rose looked frantically because she was taken off guard and he was holding her so tightly she knew there would be bruise there the next day. Robb let her go with a throw and she stumbled backward before Brienne apprehended her. 

"Let go of me! What right do you have?" Rose yelled at Robb and Catelyn and tried to escape from Brienne's grasp but was unsuccessful. 

"Jaime Lannister escaped." Catelyn said and Rose's face fell and heart dropped.


	6. Chapter 6

In the cell Rose had just been standing outside of, she now sat as a prisoner in conspiracy to help Jaime Lannister escape Robb Stark's camp. It had to have been two hours before she saw any guard come by the cell but none of them would tell her what was going on or if she could speak to someone about this. Every time she tried, they snickered and threatened her so eventually she just stopped asking. In the distance, Rose could hear soldiers searching for Jaime and they knew he couldn't have gotten far because he was more than likely starving and hadn't stood on his own two feet in weeks. 

Robb Stark tired of hearing time after time that they had not caught the Kingslayer yet and marched out of the camp to the cells that held the prisoners and to Rose. Robb was increasingly frustrated and angered by everything causing him problems, and certainly the woman sitting in the dirt wasn't one he expected but wasn't one he was surprised about. 

"I hope you understand why you are in here Lady Tyrell." Robb stated as he approached the cage and Rose glanced up at the Stark. 

"To be completely honest your grace I do not." 

"You helped the Kingslayer escape." 

"I did no such thing. Because of these ridiculous accusations I am an enemy to the Starks. I did not help." Robb seemed unfazed. He was similar to his father in that way. He had a very stubborn way of thinking. 

"Your Grace!" A guard called from a ways away. Robb nodded toward him in reply. 

"When I return you will answer for your crimes Lady Tyrell." 

"Does my word mean anything to you? I do not serve the Lannister's, I am a Tyrell. I did not help Jaime Lannister escape your camp." 

"Goodbye Lady Tyrell." Robb left Rose feeling fairly helpless and alone in a cage she shouldn't have been in but if they could make excuses for their own misjudgments of Jaime and the quality of their guards and cells, then her head would be on a stake before the end of the week. 

Rose sat hour after hour in the cell, avoiding the wretched stares of other prisoners in cells not far from her own. Some would occasionally yell out at her, calling her wretched names and singing the song they made about her on the fields of battle. By the time the afternoon came the next day they had become restless. Commotion in the camp stirred Rose from her thoughts and she stood, moving toward the edge of the cell to see what was going on. She could barely see men yelling and pushing each other around. Soon enough the yelling settled but the restlessness of the men had not. Rose sees Jaime, chained from neck, to wrists, to legs, stumbling back toward the cage he escaped from and the one she was sitting in now.   
Jaime had been gagged by the guard and shoved into the cage, falling hard into the ground. Rose moved toward him and removed the cloth from his mouth. He was beaten, bloody, and bruised, but his ego never changed. Rose was furious as his escaped caused her to be taken prisoner and possibly killed because of it. 

"Seven hells! What were you thinking!? I told you not to do anything stupid!" 

"It was the best chance I had. Don't worry about it." Jaime said back nonchalantly, it wasn't like he had just been beaten and captured and put back to square one. 

"Do you have any idea what they are going to do with you now!? I wouldn't be surprised if your head on a spike by nightfall." 

"Of course I know." 

Rose moved a bit to sit closer to Jaime. Rose knew that perhaps this would be the last time she would ever look at the man who captured her heart long ago. It felt like the end, sometimes, whenever they would see each other but this moment felt like the last time it could happen. In that moment, when Rose and Jaime observed each other, with Jaime in his particular state, it seemed like the end. Beats of silence took over the cell and the two sat there next to each other. 

"I'm sorry." She said. 

"For what?" He answered quietly, his gaze furrowing a bit. 

"Do you remember what I said to you the night before I left King's Landing?" Jaime nodded and kept his voice quiet. The other men or guards didn't need to hear anything. They could have these conversations that were deep and meaningful somehow amidst the chaos of Westeros. It was a culmination of years living near one another and sharing intimate moments that meant more to both of them than they realized. 

"You said we don't get to choose who we love... and you told me that you loved me." Rose looked away, her eyes wandering the camp and the forest beside them. Even after all these years those words still haunt her. How could she leave someone she truly loved simply because of the fear of someone else's judgement. Fear shouldn't have kept her form being happy but it did. 

"I didn't have a choice. I left because Cersei was going to have me killed. I'm surprised she hadn't done it already but I'm guessing she hoped I would just hurt you enough so you would run back to her. I decided to stay in King's Landing after the Rebellion because I thought you would be released from the King's Guard and our fathers would allow us to marry. I felt foolish for a long time thinking that could have happened..." Rose shifted her head away Jaime who had been listening intently. She could feel the pity in his stare but she didn't need it. 

"There is no one. No one. Who has ever asked for my hand in marriage since I've returned to Highgarden. I spoke to my Grandmother about that often. She said that my time would come and that I was still young... but year after year no one wanted me. I assume my Grandmother had known what happened. I was no longer pure, whole, as many Lords want. She saw through my lies but she knew better than to say anything but we talked about you a few times. She wasn't as judgmental as I thought but I could see through her, she saw me in someways just as everyone else did, someone who loved someone she shouldn't have. It wasn't until Catelyn Stark arrived at Renly's camp that my sister, My own sister, began suspecting there was something wrong about my situation. I never told her because I was afraid of the judgement and the cruelty I would get from Margaery. She had heard rumors but never believed them because she trusted me and what I told her. She wouldn't judge me like everyone else, she isn't a cruel person. Not like me. My heart has never been quite the same since I was 22. It beats faster when I hear your name and as wrong as it might be, I can not think of any place I'd rather be than by your side."

Rose wiped away the few stray tears that shed across her cheeks. As foolish as she felt, she couldn't let another second go by without Jaime knowing her true feelings. He wasn't going to be there for much longer but she prays to the seven that a part once broken could be healed. Jaime kept his eyes on hers and was surprised to hear this confession. He never expected an apology. Rose had been virtually the only person who wanted to hear his sides of story's, what he had done during the day, how he was, she cared, and he never thought that she never did. 

"Rose-" Just as he was about to reply, Catelyn Stark appeared outside of the cage. Jaime turned his attention toward Lady Stark and the incredibly beastly woman next to her. He had never seen anything like it. Rose quickly moved herself away from Jaime, taking a few breaths to pretend nothing was wrong. 

"I need to speak with him." Lady Catelyn demanded to the guards who watched over the specific cell. Different than the ones that had been there a day ago, but still just as stubborn to let anyone speak to the two inside. The guards, surprised with the request hesitated and tried to reason with the Lady of Winterfell. 

"My Lady, our orders-" 

"-Your orders, which I gave you, are to leave me alone with him." They nodded and opened the cage then left. Jaime's cocky demeanor returned and intended to strike a few last blows to Lady Catelyn's integrity. 

"Come to say goodbye, Lady Stark? I believe it's my last night in this world." Jaime looked passed Catelyn to see the giant human protectively gripping her sword. 

"Is that a woman?" He questioned. Lady Stark ignored his offensive comments about Brienne because they were both bigger than the snears of a man covered in his own shit. 

"Do you hear them out there? They want your head." 

"Old Lord Karstark doesn't seem to like me." 

"You strangled his son with your chains." 

"Oh?" He acted surprised, or at least tried to. 

"Was he the one on guard duty? He was in my way. Any Knight would have done the same." 

"You are no Knight." Catelyn spits harshly at him and it was a low blow he felt deeply but remained unfazed. 

"You have forsaken every vow you ever took." 

"So many vows they make you swear and swear. Defend the King, obey the King, obey your father, protect the innocent, defend the weak. But what if your father despises the King? What if the King massacres the innocent? It's too much. No matter what you do you're forsaking one vow or another... where did you find this beast?" He commented again on Brienne and Catelyn defended her swiftly. 

"She is a truer Knight than you will ever be. Kingslayer." 

"Kingslayer." Jaime repeated. He hated that name. He was much more than that. 

"What a King he was. Here's to Aerys Targaryen, the Second of His Name, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, and to the sword I shoved in his back." 

"You are a man without honor." 

"And what if dear old Ned Stark? What was the name of the bastard he fathered?" 

Jaime was stepping into dangerous territory. Rose turned her body, facing Jaime. He could feel the anxiousness radiating off of Rose. 

"Brienne." Catelyn called. 

"No that wasn't it." Jaime pondered more. 

"Snow. A bastard of the North."

"Jaime. Stop." Rose pleaded quietly to both him and the heavens that he would stop before he got them both killed faster. 

"Now, when good old Ned Stark came home with some whore's baby did you pretend to love it? No, you're not very good at pretending. You're an honest woman. You hated that boy, didn't you? How could you not hate him? The walking reminder that the honorable Ned Stark fucked another woman." Jaime finished, his eyes burning with a lion's fury. 

"Your sword." 

Lady Catelyn called out to Brienne and she took her sword out of its sheath and handed it to Catelyn. Catelyn looked at it for a brief moment before turning it and holding it just centimeters away from Jaime's throat.


	7. Chapter 7

Catelyn held the blade as close to Jaime's neck as possible before she dropped it and undid his chains. He was throughly confused but allowed her to do so before the lady knight yanked him up. Rose stayed chained to the post and was about to speak but Catelyn beat her to it. 

"Go to Kingslanding and bring my girls home. I will try and give you a few hours advance but Robb is more than certain he wants to send your head to your father." 

"Why do this?" Jaime questioned her with a narrow look, though he wasn't complaining about not being prisoner anymore. 

"There is no other way." She said simply and she closed the gate. 

Jaime watched her close it and the look on Rose's face fell. Jaime had conflicting feelings about relatively everything, but he wouldn't leave without a bargain. 

"What if I say no?" 

"Then you'll be dead by morning and I won't ever see Sansa or Arya again." 

"No." Jaime stated definantyl and Catelyn scoffed and motioned for Brienne to begin walking away with Jaime so they could get a head start. 

"I want something in return, Lady Stark." Catelyn didn't care what he had to say and shook her head. 

"Murderers and liars don't get to wager anything in this camp." 

"One condition, please." Jaime pleaded but tried to compose himself so he didn't appear to be a fool to Catelyn. 

"If you don't leave this instant-" 

"Let Rose come with us." 

Rose's head perked up and she looked at the three who were becoming increasingly distant. Catelyn sighed and looked at the Tyrell chained to the post in her son's camp and felt horrible for her, though, she always sided with her son before anyone else. Brienne gave no input because she felt it was not her place so the decision was truly up to Catelyn. She didn't want to give Jaime what he wanted but her daughters were far too important for petty conflicts. Catelyn approached the makeshift cage and opened it. 

"It appears that you'll be going to Kingslanding too." Catelyn said and Rose let her undo the ties on her hands and pull her up from the mud. 

"Do you want me to be killed?" Rose asked her honestly and Catelyn shook her head no.

"Just don't do anything that will get you killed faster. I'm sure you can find a way to avoid the other Lannisters for some time, come up with a plan then." Catelyn told her as she shuffled her over to Jaime and Brienne. Jaime smirked and looked at Catelyn before the three left. 

"Was that so hard, Lady Stark?" 

"Just leave this camp and never come back." 

The two fugitives and their knight set off for Kingslanding the moment they were out of sight from any Stark soldiers. Brienne said very little other than some instructions for Jaime to follow but he ignored her completely. Rose kept herself walking on the other side of Brienne where she could think without distraction. She hadn't been in Kingslanding for 10 years. 10 long years of not seeing friends and people she had grown to consider her family and now she was headed back to help a friend get her daughters back. 

Rose internally laughed at herself for being stupid enough to help Catelyn with this task. She had no connection with Sansa and Arya and had no stake in helping them return but she felt she was a decent friend and because Jaime was the key to help them return, she may have been able to steer him straight enough to protect them from the uncertainty of Cersei's cruelty. But she also didn't owe anyone anything and could leave at that moment to travel to Highgarden, to her family, but could not find the strength to let Jaime go on this journey alone. 

Daylight was beginning to break and the three stopped amongst a dense forest to rest for a few hours. Brienne tied Jaime to a tree and Rose sat on a log across from him without a word and ran her hands through her dirty hair. 

"Are you going to thank me?" Jaime asked her and she furrowed her brows at him in response. 

"Why would I thank you? For almost getting me killed because people don't think you can do things, like escape a prison cell, on your own?" 

"I saved your life." 

"You saved your own and then felt pity and saved me." 

"Eight hours ago you were pouring your heart on the floor and now you want nothing to do with me? Oh for pity's sake, Rose. Don't be such a brat." 

Rose looked at him and frustratingly intertwined her hands. 

"If you let me stay I wouldn't be on my way to the one place I don't ever want to be. You're going to lead me right into the jaws of your sister for her to hang me outside the city walls. I'm not entirely sure you will follow through with your promise so I'm going to stay because Catelyn is a friend but I swear to the seven that if I die at the hands of Cersei the moment I step into the city I will haunt you forever." 

"Very threatening." Jaime laughed at her and she got up from the log and put her hands on her hips. His stare was eating her alive and it was embarrassing to her he was acting that way. 

"Maybe I shouldn't have come. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be on your way home but dead in some ditch and I would be safe at home with my family." 

"You couldn't leave me behind if you wanted to." Jaime challenged her but she stood her ground to show no weakness. 

"I've done it before." She was right and Jaime remembered the events leading up to that day almost too clearly and he wished he could forget them but he couldn't. Rose was stronger than he let on and she had a good heart, that's why she was there now. 

"I remember." 

10 years ago

The sun was blinding. The light, flowing curtains never helped on a warm summer morning such as this. Rose squinted her eyes and slowly adjusted, stretching her arms above her head. 

"I could get use to a sight like this." 

Rose sat up, pulling the light sheet up to cover her nude body. She turned and looked towards the archway to the balcony, overlooking the remaining towers and halls of the Red Keep.

"Your not suppose to be here." 

"I'm not?" 

"No. Someone might see." Rose got up and wrapped a blue robe around her. She walked over to the table and grabbed a few grapes. The handsome knight sauntered over, setting his arms on both sides of Rose, essentially trapping her against the table. Rose popped a grape in her mouth. 

"Well, I'd say it's fairly early, I do not expect anyone to visit you right now." He said and moved Rose's hair to the left, gently kissing the exposed skin on her shoulder and neck. Rose dropped the grapes and leaned back into him. 

"It's Joffrey's sixth nameday. Everyone is up."

"Perhaps, but I'd like to think it's just us." Jaime turned Rose around swiftly, holding onto her waist tightly, bringing her body up against his. 

"We really shouldn't. My handmaiden should be coming back soon." Rose fiddled with Jaime's jacket strings. 

"That's not what you were saying last night." Jaime quipped back. Rose looked up at him but before she could say anything Jaime connected his lips with hers. Rose responded quickly, tangling her hands into his long golden locks. 

Jaime pushed the tray of food onto the floor and lifted Rose onto the table. The tray made a loud clang, echoing throughout the room.

Unknown to them, Tyrion had been wandering the hallways, in fact looking for Jaime. He heard the loud crash coming from a room nearby. He walked up to the door and knocked.   
Inside the room, Rose pushed Jaime away and tried making herself a little more presentable, Jaime did the same. Their hair wasn't exactly in its prime and neither was room to say the least. The bed was not made and there was food scattered across the floor. Rose looked to Jaime who nodded at her. She closed her eyes for a quick moment and called for the person to come in. 

"Come in." Tyrion opened the door but stopped in the doorway once he saw Jaime. He raised his eyebrows at the both of them. 

"Shut the door Tyrion." Jaime commanded and Tyrion followed his brother's instruction. 

"May I ask why you are here with Lady Rose?"

"It's no problem my Lord. Ser Jaime here was just coming to tell me that he is escorting me to break my fast with the royal family, as well as dinner later this evening. My handmaiden dropped the food, if you are concerned about that." Rose replied smoothly, trying very hard to seem inconspicuous. 

"You do not have to lie to me, Lady Rose. Your handmaiden is no where to be seen and I can see a lie when it's told by a poor liar." 

"May I ask why you are here?" Rose pondered. 

"After 'Ser' Jaime answers mine..." Tyrion turned to face Jaime who wasn't giving Tyrion the nicest smile. Jaime looked to Rose who silently gave her permission. She could trust Tyrion... right? 

"I think you know why I am here brother. If not, you're much dumber than you look." 

"And what would Mace or Olenna think of this? Cersei? King Robert? Oh... what about Father?" 

"I don't see why they would need to know, do you know why they would need to know Tyrion?" 

"How long has this been going on?" Tyrion sat down on a chair, pouring himself a glass of dornish wine. 

"I don't see why that concerns you." Rose stated. 

"Fiesty. I see why you like her. Not to mention she's pretty." 

"Tyrion..." 

"Ok." Tyrion put his hands up in defense. "I apologize my Lady. But do you see the problem? You, my Lady are the eldest daughter to the second wealthiest house in all of Westeros... only behind, I think you know who. Are you promised to anyone Lady Rose?" 

"No. Pardon my asking this but if you got to choose who you wed, would you want a woman who has been fucking another man, especially a high born woman?"

Tyrion was taken back by her comments. He hadn't expected a Tyrell to use such language. "I suppose not my Lady but I am just being honest." There was another knock on Rose's door, this time, her handmaiden arriving. 

"Oh. Excuse me my Lords, Lady, I will come back." 

"No. It's alright." Rose called. 

"Excuse me Lord Tyrion, Ser Jaime, I need to get dressed." Rose told them and Tyrion nodded in understanding. 

"Of course my Lady. We will surely see soon. Come on now Jaime. We have guests to greet."   
Tyrion walked out the door first, then stalling to wait for Jaime. Jaime looked at Rose with slightly apologetic eyes, though no one could tell, Jaime's emotions couldn't be read well. 

"Of course. Goodbye Lady Rose, I shall come back later to escort you to break your fast." Jaime and Tyrion left, leaving Rose and her handmaiden. Her handmaiden closed the door and moved toward the hanging dresses against the wall. She pulled a green one, with a embroidered cape. She also chose matching shoes. Rose put on her rings and earrings before looking at the results. She looked like a Tyrell. Wealthy, pretty, and she smelt like a flower. 

"You are very lucky." Her handmaiden said as she was fixing Rose's hair. 

"Am I?"   
"Of course m'Lady. You're very pretty, and the way Ser Jaime looks at you, any woman would kill to be in your place. A handsome man, a Kingsguard, and a Lannister? My, if only I was a lady, the things I would-" Rose turned quickly to face her handmaiden and she looked startled to face a highborn lady in this fashion. The handmaiden meant no harm, though people would pay a high price for any secrets she could gather. 

"You will not speak a word of Ser Jaime or Lord Tyrion being in here. If anyone asks you, you tell them they were checking on me on account of my father. Do you understand?" 

"Yes m'lady." 

"Good. You may leave now." 

"Of course m'lady." She began walking to the door and when she opened it, Jaime was standing in his golden armor. 

"Ser Jaime." She greeted with a curtsy as she left the room. Jaime came inside the room a bit, not closing the door, and rested his right hand on his sword. 

"Have you come to fetch me Ser Jaime?" He laughed a bit at her phrasing, the formality of it and how ridiculous it sounded. 

"Is that what you want to call it? I am here to escort you to feast with the King and Queen." Rose got up and approached Jaime. Jaime held out his arm for her to take, which she gladly did, and they made their way to the feasting room. They cut through the gardens and quickly Jaime turned into a private opening near the middle of the garden. 

"Jaime what are you doing?" Jaime didn't say anything, instead he grabbed Rose by the waist and kissed her again. Rose put her hands on Jaime's chest which had been clad with kingsguard armor. Rose pulled away, more anxious than before. 

"Jaime we can't. There are guests everywhere." 

"I don't care let them see." He kissed her again, this time more urgently. Rose hesitantly responded, anxiety of being caught coming in and out in waves as Jaime was a good distraction. Jaime's hands moved lower and Rose broke the kiss again, completely worried someone might see. 

"Not now. If your so urgent, come see me later." Rose quickly left and made her way out of the opening. She was quickly stopped when she heard her name. 

"Lady Tyrell!" Rose turned slowly to see Lady Catelyn Stark and Lord Eddard Stark. 

"Lady and Lord Stark, a pleasure to see you again. I hope all is well." 

"All is well Lady Tyrell. Are you heading to the feast? We were making our way there now, if you'd like to join us." Lord Stark asked. Rose could hear clanging armor coming from behind her. It could only be one person and that one person is someone who Ned Stark truly despises. 

"Ah Lord Stark. Nice to see you again." 

"Ser Jaime. I am sure you have met Lady Catelyn, my wife." 

"Yes I have. Nice to see you as well Lady Stark." 

"This is Lady Rose of house Tyrell-" 

"Yes I have had the pleasure of meeting Lady Tyrell." Rose kept her eyes on the Starks. She could feel Lady Catelyn staring at her. She made eye contact with Lady Stark which only confirmed her suspicions, that woman could read everyone and all of their deepest secrets without saying a word. 

"Now, if you will excuse Lady Tyrell, I have the honor of escorting her to the feast. Lady Stark, Lord Stark." Jaime excused himself and held his arm out again to Rose which she took. 

"It was nice talking with you. Hopefully we can speak more." Rose and Jaime turned around and began walking to the feast. 

"Lady Stark knows. I could feel it in her stare." 

"I know." 

They both avoided each other for the rest of the day and a few days later Rose would disappear from Kingslanding and Jaime would learn from Tyrion she had gone home for good.


	8. Chapter 8

King's Landing was hundreds of miles away from where Rose, Jaime, and Brienne currently were. Brienne eagerly took charge of leading the group, as it was her duty, but she held onto his chains as if she were walking a dog. A week after they had left Robb Stark's camp, the three were barely halfway to their destination, avoiding as many people as they could to protect their identities from those looking to return any bounty the Stark's may have put on them. 

At that moment, Rose followed behind Jaime, trying carefully not to step in the puddles of mud and sticks that surrounded them from the night of rainfall before. Having to sleep in a forest that provided little shelter and even less protection against rain made Rose wonder how none of them have gotten sick yet, or worse, died. Brienne believed it was best for all of them to stay off the King's Road because more travelers would be frequenting that path. So, they stuck to the grass and the water and the mud to avoid detection. Rose couldn't argue with Brienne's logic and she was intent on bringing the both of them to King's Landing alive.

Brienne led them to a river that would halt all the walking and they would sail as close to King's Landing as they possibly could. The area in which they happened to be traveling was the cross section of many different rives that eventually led to the great sea that few Westerosi's choose to travel on. Everything they needed was in Westeros, so there was no reason to sail to far off lands unless it was to conquer a different people. The closer they got to the river larger trees found themselves imbedded in the swampy landscape and what was left of their shoes were becoming stuck in the mud. But the poor outdoor conditions weren't driving Brienne and Rose crazier by the minute, it was Jaime's non-stop talking. 

"It's a long way to King's Landing. Might as well get to know one another, well Lady Brienne. Have you known many men?" Jaime asked, which caused Rose's eyes to go wide. Brienne never responded, not even a flinch. Rose found his question to be quiet repugnant, especially because it was none of his concern. He was simply going crazy from the lack of interaction from Brienne. Brienne knew men like him and who they truly were and she wasn't willing to give into him and his taunts now. 

"I suppose not. Women? Horses?" Jaime was quickly pulled down by the side of the river by Brienne. Rose thought Brienne had given into the taunts and his jests but alas, Brienne turned to her and nods her head toward the bridge, signaling the presence of someone else. There, Rose spotted what Brienne saw and her suspicions were correct. 

"I didn't mean to give offense, My Lady. Forgive me." Jaime half-heartily apologized. 

"Your crimes are past forgiveness, Kingslayer." Brienne shot back. 

"Why do you hate me so much? Lady Tyrell doesn't. Have I ever harmed you?" 

"You've harmed others. Those you were sworn to protect, the weak, the innocent. And I am not like Lady Tyrell. I do not forgive highborn lords who have everything handed to them. I do not forgive those who betray their family name or kill their own King." Brienne spat. 

"Has anyone ever told you you're as boring as you are ugly?" 

"Jaime, stop it. Don't say anything more." Rose warned him because if he kept talking he would give away their position and the people who were spotted might work for the Starks. Brienne watched carefully as the people slowly left her own sight and she whipped her head around to Jaime and pulled him to his feet in a ruff, brutal manor.

"You will not provoke me to anger." Brienne sneered at him and She moved Jaime closer to the single row boat that sat on the edge of the river. The luck they had not only not being caught but that there was a boat just sitting here for them was remarkable. 

"I already have. Look at you. You're ready to chop my head off. Do you think you could? Do you think you can beat me in a fair fight? Rose! Do you think Brienne could beat me in a fight?" Jaime said quite loudly, trying to intentionally draw attention to himself. 

Brienne didn't listen to what other people said about her, but she had certainly heard what they said about Jaime and what they said about Rose. The two higher-born people referred to Brienne by her first name, she hated being called a lady and was alright with them not calling her by her proper name, but as far as Brienne was concerned, Rose was still a proper highborn lady and should be referred to as Lady Rose, Lady Tyrell, her formal name, even by men like Jaime. And just like Rose, Jaime should be referred to as Ser Jaime because he was a Kingsguard and a knight, a proper and formal title. It didn't escape Brienne that they never referred to each other by their titles and were very comfortable battling each other and their opinions. 

"I'd love to see Brienne beat you." Rose shot back and Jaime narrowed his eyes at Rose who just smirked back. He fully expected her to side with him because he thought he had her in the back of his pocket, though based on how he had been acting throughout the last week, he would be surprised if she absolutely despised him now. 

"I've never seen you in a fight." Brienne responded honestly.

"The answer is no. There are three men in the kingdoms who might have a chance against me. You're not one of them." Jaime answered in what he thought was a pure truth, though he had also never seen Brienne fight. 

Brienne knocked Jaime down onto the boat while Rose trying to stifle a laugh at the sight. She had to admit, as much as she hated seeing Jaime in this condition, watching him get a little payback for his unapologetic mouth was a little too fun to stop. Brienne became hard and serious, no one could see any glint of humor in her eyes.

"All my life men like you have sneered at me. And all my life I've been knocking men like you into the dust." Jaime, only seeing and feeling to ache to fight again, urged on Brienne a little more. He really tried to get her to crack under his words. 

"If you're so confident, unlock my chains. Let's see what happens. " Brienne was seemingly bewildered at the fact that Jaime Lannister wanted to fight her. 

"Do you take me for an idiot? In." Brienne helps Jaime enter the boat because he was still tied at the hands. Brienne offered Rose a hand and she shook her head because she could handle it herself. When Rose stepped in, Brienne noticed she was missing a shoe but never said a word about it. Rose took the open seat next to Jaime in the boat as Brienne untied it and pushed off to start sailing away. 

"I took you for a fighter, a man - oh, pardon - woman of honor. Was I wrong? You're afraid." Jaime said to Brienne but she ignored him and focused on guiding the boat down the river. 

"Brienne has plenty of honor. More honor than I've seen in any other Knight." Rose replied instead and defended Brienne from Jaime's attacks. 

"Even more than me?" Jaime asked and Rose turned, looking Jaime right in the eyes, through his soul and honestly admitted; 

"Yes. Even more than you." 

There was a beat before anyone said anything more and Jaime's face quickly changed from amusement to mundane as he reflected on the comment. Rose knew how much Jaime's honor meant to him, the legacy and the appearance he projects into his work and his reputation. Jaime wanted to be the best and most successful member of the Kingsguard, to maybe one day have a family of his own and become a Lord again with his own castle and heirs, but he has not checked off one thing on his list. He was a failure in his father's eyes and hearing that Brienne, a woman who he never met and who Rose had known maybe a year, had more honor than him in the eyes of the woman he loved was more hurtful than he thought it would be. 

"You think I'm afraid? Maybe one day you'll find out, Kingslayer." Brienne snears one last time, ending the conversation for a long while. 

Rose knew Jaime hated that name. Kingslayer, a man without honor, oathbreaker. In her heart she knew he felt a bruise form every time someone called him that name. Jaime didn't speak for a long time after that comment, occasionally looking at Rose, but never at Brienne. Brienne took notice and looked to Rose a couple times as well. Rose was too consumed in her own thoughts to notice either of them looking at her. "Yes. Even more than you." Those words playing over and over in her mind. Did she mean it? Of course not. She knew Jaime's story. But she knew Brienne to be an honest woman who protects with her entire soul. Rose was stuck in the middle of the cattiest fight Jaime or Brienne has ever been apart of, it just came down to whosever side she truly supported... a man, who she knew could knock Brienne in the dust, someone who she has loved and lost in a matter of minutes. Or a woman who is a kind and honorable soul that has never broken a vow? 

The rest of the night the boat was quiet and a sheen of agonizing conflict and discussion was looming over them but none of them spoke a word. Brienne barely said a word other than "get some sleep" but she allowed Rose to take over steering for a time so she could get some rest. All that filled the night sky was stars and all she could hear was the sounds of animals and insects on the banks of the river beside them. She never heard Jaime wake up and she never turned around to look at him no matter how much she wanted to. Jaime said nothing but simply stared at the stars above him, silently praying to the heavens that this would all be over soon and wishing he could be the man he always wanted to be. 

The stars weren't going to answer his prayers because he had been praying to them since he was a boy and look where he was now. All he could do is close his eyes and hope the two women in the boat didn't hate him for being an asshole to them, but it was his protection from being seen as weak and fragile, something his father always said got men killed and got men called bad names. 

In moments like this where he felt bad about what he said and who he said it to, he wished he could be a man who could apologize without being seen as weak and he wished he could be a man and tell the woman who was now steering the boat how he truly felt.


	9. Chapter 9

It was dark, quiet, and the only thing Rose wanted to do was take a bath. For two days, Brienne, Jaime, and Rose continued to row and Brienne entrusted Rose to take the oar when she needed rest, not Jaime. Jaime passed out hours ago but Rose couldn't sleep for more than ten minutes, anxiety of what the forests of Westeros hid and the hostile behavior Brienne was presenting was enough to keep her awake. Brienne rowed away, although Rose could tell the Lady Knight was getting more and more tired at each push. She watched Brienne with weary, tired eyes because since Renly was murdered, Brienne stayed on edge. She was already protective in her behavior but was ready to pounce on anyone at anytime. The offenses projected by Jaime made Brienne angry but she wouldn't let Jaime be the man who would break her. 

"Are you going to stare at me the entire way to King's Landing?" Brienne startled Rose who hadn't realized what she had been doing. Rose blinked at her eyes met Brienne's furrowed but also tired ones. Rose shook her head and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. 

"I apologize my Lady. It was rude of me to stare." 

"I'm no Lady." Rose smiled just bit. Brienne hated being called a Lady. 

"Then what shall I call you?" Brienne hesitated. She had known Rose for quiet some time. She had been with Margaery and Renly since they had been married but Brienne never had the real chance to become friends with Rose, or Margaery for that matter, because she only wanted a spot on Renly's King's Guard. But who knows how long they will be wandering the wilderness and Brienne had already established she was alright with the two calling her Brienne. 

"Brienne. You can call me Brienne, Lady Tyrell. You calling me that makes me sound like my grandmother." 

"Please, just Rose." 

Brienne nodded and didn't bother to talk anymore. She just continued to row away but kept her eye on Rose. She could tell that Rose was weary, tired, drained from the journey already. Brienne didn't think it unusual, Rose was a highborn Lady from one of the wealthiest families. Of course she would be tired from weeks worth of walking and sleeping on the cold, stiff ground. Brienne watched as Rose sighed and got more comfortable on the wooden bench that she had sat on for days. Jaime was slumped over, his head resting on the side of the boat, next to Rose, not leaving much room between them or space for Rose to lay down to rest. She had a lot of time to think about the task Lady Catelyn had handed her, but she would hate to admit that she was interested in the dynamic between the Kingslayer and Rose too. Every now and again she would catch either of the two watching the other when they thought no one was watching. They addressed each other by their first names, not Lady or Ser as they were suppose to. They kept a close eye on each other, even if they don't realize it.

Jaime stirred a bit, but didn't wake. Rose looked over to the chained man, but could barely see him as he was covered in dirt and heavy cloth. Rose was startled a bit when Brienne started talking softly to her. 

"Do you love him?" Rose looked at Brienne almost immediately after she asked it but Brienne wasn't giving Rose a cocky smile or giving off a jokester attitude some people liked to give when they would ask her about Jaime. 

"Excuse me?" 

"I see the way you look at him. You care for the Kingslayer."

"His name is Jaime." 

"Jaime. You care for him." Rose kept her stare on Brienne. Steady, unwavering and fully open with the lady knight but Brienne wasn't stupid and could figure it out by herself. 

"I think you already know the answer to your question." Brienne then glanced down at Jaime. He was sound asleep, barely moving, barely recognizing that there was a conversation going on around him. The gossip she was aching to talk about was not in Brienne's nature, she couldn't let her mind peak her curiosity, otherwise she'd look like a joke. Brienne hated to admit she liked knowing inside information, especially about people she spends time with or has grown to know. She could say Rose was as close to a friend as she could have, though she doesn't know anything about her other than that she and Jaime once had a relationship and what it did to the Lannister's and Tyrell's. 

"I've heard things about you." 

"And what have you heard? I'm sure nothing more than what I know." 

"I've heard you're a good fighter." Rose scoffed at the comment. Really? A good fighter?

"I've heard that you were once possibly considered to be betrothed to Stannis Baratheon." Rose laughed a little at that one. She would have never married Stannis, even if the seven hells had frozen over. Stannis was far too old for her and Mace Tyrell was more than accommodating to the men Rose would consider for marriage. 

"I heard Lady Stark say how well you sewed clothes and made lemon cakes. Apparently it was your recipe that Sansa Stark is obsessed with." 

"Hm." Rose hummed and looked out to the black water that reflected the moon from the world above. 

"But I know you love your family and Margaery would often speak of how you cared for her as a babe and that she was devastated when you left her for King's Landing. She also said you have the nicest penmanship of any lady in the land." 

"Those are very kind things to say Brienne. I had a very good teacher to help me fight, my mother taught me the lemon cakes recipe and I was never betrothed to Stannis Baratheon because if I was, I would have run away to Dorne." 

"My father taught me how to use a sword, who taught you?" 

"Who do you think?" Brienne shifted her eyes between Rose and Jaime. Rose nodded, confirming her question. 

"I was quite bored doing Lady like activities around the Red Keep, so one day when the sun was coming up Jaime took me to this spot, it was right near the ocean but far enough from the castle so no one could hear and taught me how to use a sword. I wouldn't say I am good but I could hurt someone if I had to." 

"Why don't you carry a sword?" 

"I keep it at Highgarden. Jaime had a special one made, I keep it away from conflict. It's far too special to use. But luckily I've never felt the need to use it in the first place." 

"Can I ask you something?" Rose knew what was coming next, so she nodded. 

"Why did you leave him?" 

"That's the one question I still ask myself. It wasn't safe in the Red Keep. If you've been there, you know it true. Cersei, she hated me. I've never seen someone hate someone so much. She wanted me dead and I knew it was coming, I just couldn't tell when. But there were a million other things going on too. I hadn't seen my siblings in years, my father was traveling back and forth from the Red Keep to Highgarden, my grandmother hated me being there. She knew why I stayed and thought it was terrible. I've never been one to disappoint my grandmother but I fear I did. I missed them. It was time for me to go home but I was hesitant because I fell in love. I don't know why I'm telling you all of this..." Rose trailed off and became quite uncomfortable quickly. 

"I understand my Lady. You don't need to continue." 

"Have you ever been in love Brienne?" Brienne hesitated but nodded her head. She loved Renly wether she would admit it or not. But she had never been in love before then. She didn't know if what she felt for Renly was true love, or a crush, or simply and infatuation because he was able to carry a sword without conflict and was adored by his closest peers. 

"Well this kind of love was confusing. It didn't start out that way, it was a physical attraction. But then we kept meeting and talking and the arrogant façade disappeared when we were together and he treated me well. I believe he cared for me and a part of me likes to believe that he truly did love me. Yes, there were unfortunate circumstances that the both of us were in but we don't get to chose who we love." 

"No. We don't."

"I'm sure the love that I had isn't gone. I was with him for years, several in secret, until his brother found out. After I left, which was a week after that, I don't remember now, I wrote Tyrion and I would always ask if everything was ok. But Tyrion knew I didn't ask if everything was ok in King's Landing. I wanted to know if he was ok. I'm sure that's more than enough information I cared to share with you."

"Rose, did Lord Tyrion ever answer your question?" 

"Yes. But his answer never satisfied me. I envisioned something completely different, I wanted him to hurt like I did, or miss me like I missed him, but we cannot control other people." 

"Do you still love him?" Brienne already asked this question. Rose hesitated, hadn't she made it obvious? 

"Of course I do."

Meanwhile Jaime, although he had his eyes shut and breathing steady, heard every word. 'The things we do for love.' He thought.


	10. Chapter 10

It had been two days since Rose's conversation with Brienne and silence had overtaken the boat once more. The river seemed to be closing in on them and they would have no choice but to return to land and finish the journey on foot. Jaime was enjoying the time on the small boat because he never had to work for anything and he just sat down and relaxed the entire time. Though, he couldn't seem to shut his mouth the moment they got off the boat and back on land. 

He found it amusing to harass Brienne even more than he had as they traveled on water. The three were walking across rocks and mud to a gravel road where their muddy clothes could dry. Rose's feet were beet red and the gravel surely pained them more but she continued on because Brienne didn't need to hear more complaining and Rose didn't want to be a nuisance to anyone.

Jaime, on the other hand, continued on with his nests and vulgarity.

"You're a virgin, I take it?" He asked Brienne but she didn't even flinch at any comment Jaime made. It's like she was made of steel. Rose was taken aback by the question and threw Jaime a look of disappointment and urged him to knock it off. It was none of his business anyway.

"Walk." Brienne ordered him and pushed him in front of her so he leads the way. Yet Jaime continued to glance back at her and mess with her.

"Childhood must have been awful for you. Were you a foot taller than all the boys? They laughed at you, called you names? Some like a challenge. One or two must tried to get inside big Brienne."

"One or two tried." Brienne responded flatly.

"Ah. But you fought them off." Jaime replied, seemingly very interested in Brienne's sexual encounters.

"But maybe you wished one of them could overpower you, fling you down, tear off your clothes. But none of them were strong enough... I'm strong enough." Jaime commented. Rose looked toward Jaime with furrowed brows. Jaime just shrugged back as if he were doing no wrong so Rose scoffed and turned her head way, taking in the forestry around them.

"Not interested." Brienne replied.

"Of course you are, you'd love to know what it feels like to be a woman." Rose halted as she looked ahead of her and saw three swaying bodies hanging from a tree. Three women, young from what she could tell, their clothes ripped and a sign hanging from the middle woman's neck. 

They lay with lions.

All Rose could think was that one of those girls could have been her.

"They lay with lions." Jaime read the sign aloud.

"Tavern girls I'd say, they probably served my father's soldiers. Maybe one of them gave up a kiss and a feel. That's how they earned this. The glorious work of the northern freedom fighters. Must make you proud to serve the Starks."

"I don't serve the Starks. I serve Lady Catelyn." Brienne said as she tied Jaime to a tree. Brienne then unsheathed her sword and walked toward the rope that held the women in the trees.

"Tell yourself that when they swing in your dreams. What are you doing?" Jaime said.

"Burying them." Brienne replied to him and continued on trying to retrieve the women.

"We need to leave. The bodies aren't rotting, these are fresh." Rose warned and Jaime appeared to agree with her, suddenly nervous of their open position.

"We shouldn't stay here. We should get back on the river. I think these women would understand-"

"I don't care what you think." Brienne shot back and ignored their pleas.

"We should go. It's not safe here." Rose warned again with an urgency.

Suddenly there were voices coming from over the tree line. All sounded like men. Rose immediately thought the worse and that they would kill upon realization there was money to be had if they were all captured. The unfortunate aspect of the entire situation is that they were making progress on their trek and did not need this hurtle.

"Untie me." He shouted to Brienne in a hushed whisper and he held out his arms to her but she had no time to help him because the men were in sight in a moments time.

"Woah." One of them said as he realized three strangers were in their territory.

"What is your business here?" The same one asked.

"Traveling a prisoner." Brienne replied cooly, trying not to give anything away.

"You're a woman!? A woman! Well fuck me!"

"We'll be going." Brienne, Jaime, and Rose all tried to leave but were stopped again.

"Who do you fight for?"

"The Starks." Brienne replied honestly.

"What did he do?" He motioned to Jaime as he was the only one with his hands bound.

"Apparently eating is now a crime." He lied and tried to hide his face the best he could by looking at the ground or away from the men.

"Who knew?"

"No, stealing is a crime." Brienne snapped at Jaime.

"But it's not a crime to starve."

"That's justice for you."

"Where are you taking him?" One of the three men asked.

"To Riverrun."

"Why Riverrun?"

"You steal from the Tully's it's their dungeons you rot in."

"And what about her?" They looked behind Brienne and Jaime to Rose who looked at Jaime for some kind of answer but he was unable to give anything for her to make up so she had to think of the most basic reason for her to be there.

"I'm a witness. I must travel along with them so that this man can be fully prosecuted for his crimes."

"You speak like a highborn." The one commented.   
Rose could feel the panic rise in her.

"Do I know you two?" He motioned his finger, pointed between Rose and Jaime.

"Have you been to Ashemark?"

"No."

"Then you don't know me."

"What about you?" He asked Rose.

"Honeyholt." Rose replied.

"You ever been to the River Market at Salt Rock?" He asked Jaime.

"Is it near Ashemark?" He shook his head. Jaime nodded too.

"I've never been there."

The three men seemed to let the interrogating go after that but they kept an eye on Jaime and Rose. They were trying hard to figure out who they were.

"What do you think of these beauties? They are almost as beautiful as you." The same man commented to Rose and she felt a sudden urge to gag at the sight of the decaying bodies and what the men did to them. She could only imagine. Rose tried her hardest to remain calm but all she wanted was to kill that man.

"Wait. I do know you."

"Your Jaime Lannister." Jaime scoffed and acted surprised.

"I wish someone would have told me. I wouldn't have had to steal that pig."

"If this is the Kingslayer, I'd think I'd know about it." Brienne commented.

"How do you know what the Kingslayer looks like? I was at whispering wood. I saw him. They dragged him out of the woods and threw him before the King."

"He's not the Kingslayer. Sorry to disappoint." Brienne replied and pushed Jaime a bit, making him move back towards the river.

"I was also in the camp when Lady Stark brought a guest to camp. It was you. How could I forget a face that nice? A Tyrell so far north? Who could forget."

"I'm sorry but I'm no Tyrell. If I was I wouldn't be here right now."

"No? Well this seems to make perfect sense. A knight traveling with the Kingslayer and his whore."

"I can assure you that I am no whore and I am not a Tyrell and this is not Jaime Lannister."

"Really?"

"Well when I count to three, I want the two of you to tell me this mans name."

They were in trouble now.

"One."

Rose and Brienne made eye contact. Rose shifted a bit and grabbed onto the small knife on the back of Brienne's armor.

"Two." Rose slowly pulled the knife out of its sheath and held it tightly in her hand.

"Three."

Brienne attacked one of the men. She pulled out her sword and began fighting them. Rose took the blade and threw it at another man, striking him right in the neck, causing him to fall to the ground and try to stop the bleeding though he figured he would die anyway. Rose pushed Jaime out of the way, as he was practically useless now. Brienne killed the man and went to the last one who was still laying on the ground. He put his hand up in defense.

"Two quick deaths..." Brienne slowly impaled him with her sword, killing him slowly. Jaime and Rose watched, slightly relieved they hadn't been killed.

"Those were Stark men." Jaime said.

"I don't serve the Starks. I serve Lady Catelyn. She's the one who I was told to protect and I'm doing this for her. If this is what Stark soldiers do, I don't serve them. I told you I'm going to take the both of you to King's Landing, and that's what I'm going to do."   
Brienne walked away, going to bury the three women and the three men.

Rose breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to face Jaime.

"Are you alright?" She asked him.

Jaime nodded. "You?"

"I'm fine."

"Honeyholt? Really? Couldn't think of anything better?" Jaime said and Rose scoffed a bit at his comment then thought about his answer to the question.

"Ashemark? Really?"

"Maybe not my best lie but it doesn't matter they're dead." They watched Brienne bury the bodies. She dug shallow holes by the tree line for them.

"If we took the King'a Road we would be home by now." Rose said.

"Where are you going to go when we get to King's Landing?" Jaime asked.

"Well I'm sure Cersei wouldn't want me anywhere near you, so I will probably go back to Highgarden."   
Jaime stayed quiet. He knew she was right. Rose doesn't even know the terrible things he's done since she left him.

"How are the children?" It pained Rose to even ask but when Myrcella was baby, Rose had never seen something so precious, she had never seen something she wanted so badly. Joffrey was a vile child from what she could remember but Myrcella seemed like a gem, one she surely wanted.

"Last time I saw them Joffrey was still violent, Myrcella was still sweet, and Tommen was still innocent. But I don't know now."

Rose nodded. The one thing that pained her more than anything in the world was Jaime's confession that he loved his sister. She knew the stories of the Targaryen's marrying each other but never anyone else. The worst of it is that Rose knew that relationship carried on while she was with Jaime. She was in King's Landing when they were born, all of them except for Tommen. Although he would never say, Jaime knew she knew he carried it on and knew it was one of the biggest reasons she left him.

Rose stayed quiet for the remainder of the day, only thanking Brienne for saving her life. Her mind continued to itch at the fact that once they arrived in King's Landing Jaime would run right back into the arms of Cersei, if they made it back alive.


	11. Chapter 11

"Do you know how long it's going to take us to get to King's Landing walking through fields and forests?" Jaime questioned Brienne as they moved forward from the dead bodies of last week.

It's been a week since the incident with the Stark soldiers. Rose has stayed relatively quiet, death was hard on Rose, especially when one of the soldiers deaths was on her hands. For Brienne and Jaime, everything seemed relatively normal. But the road was taking significantly longer than any other form of transportation and they had no choice other than walking, so it was becoming tiring and irritating to Jaime the most.

"Yes." Brienne answered Jaime's question.

"So how shall we pass time? By putting one foot in front of the other? It's going to be a very dull walk." Jaime commented again.

To Rose, dull would be just fine. The dread of having to return to King's Landing was already causing her more agony than she had ever felt before. Brienne seemed to agree because she just wanted Jaime to shut up.

Brienne learned a lot about both Jaime and Rose on this trip and she realized she liked Rose significantly more than Jaime. Jaime was becoming too irritable and annoying for her taste and he was incredibly self centered. The only time she saw some kind of care for another is when he spoke to Rose when he thought she was sleeping or when she was looking away. Jaime was a hard man to deal with and she had no idea how Rose dealt with it before.

"Dull is fine."

"You know, it doesn't matter how loyal a servant you are, no one enjoys the company of a humorless mute. Trust me on this. People have been serving me since I was born. People have been serving Rose since she was born. You think Lady Stark is going to want a giant tower headed plank following her around for the rest of her life? A weeks journey with you, she'll order you to fall on your sword."

Brienne tried to keep her composure but after weeks of Jaime's torment, it was almost time for her to put him in his place. Jaime's insults were trying to crack Brienne's stoic demeanor, make her feel less than the warrior she was. She was a strong, tough, independent knight who wasn't a true knight, surely she could handle a few insults from Westeros' most "loyal" Kingsguard. Brienne knew she had it in her to take him on and she could defeat a man who hasn't eaten anything but small portions of food she could catch and was much less of the man he once was.

"If Lady Stark is unhappy with any aspect of my service, I'm sure she will let me know."

There was a lull for a moment. All that could be heard were the sticks crunching underneath their feet and the birds chirping in the sky.

"How did you come into Lady Stark's service? There's something we could talk about."

"None of your concern, Kingslayer."

"It had to have been recently. You weren't with her at Winterfell."

"You were at Winterfell?" Rose questioned Jaime. She had no idea he had visited there recently and she knew Ned and Jaime did not get along well.

"With King Robert to bring Ned Stark to King's Landing to become Hand of the King. But I think I would have recognized you, you're head smacking into doorways and all." Brienne just pushed Jaime along.

"Move."

"Were you pledged to Stannis?"

"Gods no." Brienne replied, almost disgusted at the thought.

"Ah, Renly." That hit a sore spot in Brienne.

"Really? He wasn't fit to rule over anything more important that a 12 course meal."

"Shut your mouth."

"Why? I lived with him at court since he was a boy, don't forget. Could hardly escape the little tulip. Skipping down the corridors in his embroidered silks. I knew him far better than you. I knew him as well as anyone. As a member of the Kingsguard, he trusted me with everything."

"He would have made a wonderful King."

"Sounds like you quite fancied him. Oh, gods. You did." Brienne's look gave it all away. You can never lie about loving or hating someone, but the look of love is hard to shake when you fall so deeply into the hole.

"Did you ever tell him? No, of course you didn't. You weren't much of Renly's type in afraid."

Rose knew where this was going. It was no secret that Loras and Renly had loved one another, or at least enjoyed each other's company. But it was only a rumor to some. Rose knew it was true, Margaery told her everything. But it wasn't either Renly or Loras' fault, they were meant to love each other and they did.

"He preferred curly haired little girls like Loras Tyrell."

"Jaime, enough." Rose spoke up and was offended that he would speak about her brother that way.

"I'm not interested in foul rumors." Brienne commented.

"Unless they are about me. It's all true about Renly. His proclivities were the worst kept secret at court. It's a shame the throne isn't made out of cocks-"   
Rose knew this was going into a bad direction. He had finally pushed Brienne over the edge. Rose let her take him to task because what he said about Loras was far too inexcusable for her liking.

"They'd have never got him off it."

"Shut your mouth!" Brienne shoved Jaime.

"I don't blame him. And I don't blame you either. We don't get to choose who we love."

Those words stuck Rose right through her heart. He was being held by Brienne yet couldn't take his eyes away from Rose. Everything seemed like a daze had passed over the three until a man called out from the other side of the trees, startling all of them.

'Oh, wonderful.' Rose thought to herself as they had just barely managed to escape the last group of men.

"Where are you headed?" He called to them.

"South." The three replied together.

"Staying off the King's road are you?" Odd question to ask. He was eyeing all of them carefully.

"You can't win." Jaime called out jokingly to the elder man. He smiled lightly back.

"No, you can't. Looks like your safe though. Meaning no offense my Lady, but I wouldn't tangle with you. Seven blessings to you."

"And to you." Jaime called back. He turned quickly to face Brienne and Rose, thinking more of the old man and his comments.

"He knows who I am."

"He doesn't." Brienne didn't believe him but Rose knew he was right.

"I could see it in his eyes. He knew who Jaime was."

"He doesn't." Brienne tried to reassure them.

"And what if your wrong? What if he tells someone?"   
Brienne got the hint Jaime was trying to subtly pass her.

"We're not doing it. He's an innocent man."

"More innocent than Lady Stark's daughters?" Jaime challenged Brienne.

Brienne never budged. She was too stubborn. Jaime tried pleading silently with Rose to try to get her to convince Brienne that he was right but there was little Rose could do. Brienne was the most stubborn woman, human, she had ever met. The three would just have to pray to the seven that he really didn't recognize Jaime Lannister.


	12. Chapter 12

Spring was coming to a close and the weather was changing around them quickly as they continued on their way. Communication with the outside world was a non-starter and Rose could only imagine where Margaery and Loras were at that moment and if they were safe. Rose hated to worry but she simply couldn't help it when she cared for them so deeply. 

But little to Rose's knowledge, Margaery and Loras were already in King's Landing. Margaery had done exactly what Rose expected and weasled her way into a new family and new riches as she was getting ready to marry the King, Jaime's son, Jaime's bastard son with Cersei. 

Jaime had been gone for about a year fighting and in captivity and now traveling throughout the reaches of Westeros. He had no idea that King's Landing was attacked by Stannis Baratheon's forces and that Cersei was ready to kill Tommen and herself on the Iron Throne. Much to Stannis' dismay, the siege failed and Tywin had saved the city. Jaime didn't know if they were looking for him but he clung on to lost hope that maybe they were and they didn't forget all about him because he failed. 

Brienne had no idea where Sansa or Arya were. She assumed they were in King's Landing, relatively safe. This task that Lady Catelyn had bestowed upon Brienne was more difficult than she had originally imagined. What if none of the girls are in King's Landing when they arrive? What if they are dead? Brienne told herself it would eventually play out fine, but the world was cruel and people were even worse so she couldn't believe even the best possibility. 

But no matter how many questions the three of them had, they wouldn't be answered anytime soon. Right now, they faced a larger dilemma. In order to cross the river, they needed to cross a very public bridge. If they crossed the bridge they were risking being seen and possibly taken into someone else's camp and traded back to the Stark's where Robb would certainly execute them. Jaime was already a little paranoid about the man that had seen them earlier and Rose would be lying if she said she wasn't either. But they had no choice in that moment to be paranoid or scared at anything. They must cross the bridge if they want to return to their families. 

Jaime thought to himself for a long while before they had even reached the bridge and as scared or unsettled as he was about the man, he knew he could get more sympathy because he had money and a name people were willing to listen to. So, if Jaime wanted to get home quicker, he needed to draw attention to himself and all he wanted to do was go home. 

"I need to rest." Jaime said. He began sitting down, the chain Brienne was holding weighing heavily to her right as Jaime sat in the middle of the bridge. 

"Get up." Brienne demanded. 

"I have these, you know, on your feet when you walk to far? What do you call them?" 

"Get up now." Brienne demanded again. 

"Jaime get up. We need to keep moving." Rose pleaded. 

"Corns." Jaime ignored their pleas. 

"I never used to get corns. Of course I use to ride everywhere. No march around like a common foot soldier wearing the same shit boots for over a year. The heel is ruined." Jaime wined about his boots and Brienne and Rose became more restless. They had to keep moving. 

"There's no way-" Jaime quickly got up and moved toward Brienne, grabbing one of her swords, catching her off guard. She drew her sword.

"I never understood why some knights felt the need to carry two swords." Jaime admired Brienne's sword. No, it wasn't as nice or well made as his, or a valyrian steel sword, but still decent for a Lady "Knight".

Jaime lunged at Brienne who tried her best to block every move he made. It was quite easy for her, as he was still chained at the hands but he still moved like he practiced everyday.   
"You move well for a great beast of a woman." Jaime commented again. 

Rose watched in a strange awe. She was not armed, the knife from earlier was now with Brienne and she couldn't go up against two people with weapons when she had none. Pleading to end the fighting would only burn Jaime's desire to perhaps even kill Brienne, so Rose moved to the other side of the bridge, waiting and watching from a crouched position. Rose thought she could hear horses coming but could see none, maybe she was just more paranoid than she thought. 

"You shouldn't grimace before you lunge. It gives the game away. Bit of a quandary for you. If you kill me, you fail Lady Stark. But if you don't kill me, I'm going to kill you." Brienne and Jaime continued to spar, Brienne seemingly gained the upper hand and knocked Jaime to the ground. 

Rose saw a group of men on horses come up from the end of the bridge they had been trying to cross. The men had the man that saw them earlier in the day. They had banner men and the image of the flayed man of House Bolton. 

"Look's like your woman is getting the better of you. If you can call that a woman." A man on a horse called out now catching the attention of Jaime and Brienne as he laid on the ground. 

"We enjoy a good fight. Gets our juices flowing." Jaime responded, trying to show no weakness. 

"The flayed man of House Bolton, a bit gruesome for my taste." 

The man on the horse called down to the elderly man. He looked frightened and appeared only to have been a lonesome farmer, so having bannermen from a notoriously brutal house interrogate you for information must have scared him. 

"You sure that's them?" The man nodded and pointed at Jaime and Rose. 

"I'm sure that's them all right. I saw him fight at the tourney for see Willem Frey's wedding. The Lady was there too, with her infamous Grandmother." 

"Give the man his silver." Rose and Jaime knew there was no way they could get out of this mess now. Brienne pondered the idea that she could take them all out, but she couldn't. 

"Let us go and my father will pay you whatever you want." Jaime tried to reason with them. A Lannister always pays their debts, remember? 

"Enough to buy me a new head?" The man on the horse laughed. 

"If the King in the North hears that I had the Kingslayer and the Golden Rose, and let them go, he'll be taking it right off. And I'd rather he takes yours."   
The other guards came and grabbed the three, mounted them on the horses, Jaime and Rose back to back on one and Brienne on another, going back north, back to square one. The Bolton soldier walked beside the horse as there was no room for him with Jaime and Rose on the saddle and ignored them for the most part as they made their way in the opposite direction of King's Landing. 

"Do you think they will flay us?" Rose asked Jaime quietly and she could feel him move his head to the side facing away from the soldier. 

"I doubt it. I'm sure they could be easy to wager with, money always persuades men like that." 

"Men like that only want one thing, Jaime. Submission from us." Jaime knew what she meant and it was a very real possibility and truth that these men would try to force themselves on Brienne and Rose. 

"I am not going to let that happen." 

"What are you going to do? You can barely take on Brienne and these men would knock you to the ground if you tried anything." Rose was trying to find some silver-lining but was having an increasingly difficult time doing so. 

"These men are scoundrels and I'm not going to let them lay a finger on you or Brienne." 

"If you were me right now, you would also be having a hard time believing that." 

"Hey! You two! Stop talking!" The man walking the horse said and gave them an irritated look that only Jaime could see because he was facing forward on the horse. 

"What are you going to do about it? Gag me?" Jaime countered and the man nodded his head yes. 

"If you don't stop I will." 

"Just don't bother Jaime, you can't save us now." Rose told him and he shut up even though he clearly had no intention to. He felt powerless and suddenly realized that home wasn't the place he wanted to be at that moment, it was simply to be a protector to these two women who he had already put through so much. Neither of them deserved whatever was coming to them and it was his fault.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Advisory for mentions of and attempted sexual assault. I kept it in because it was a major point in what happens to Jaime as a result of his attempts to save Brienne. Feel free to skip the chapter if you feel you may not be able to read it, it is entirely and certainly fine with me. 
> 
> Know that you are loved and even though I don't know you, you are not alone and we are stronger than them. 
> 
> Thank you for reading :)

Rose knew what was going to happen. Jaime didn't need to tell her that these men were rapists and didn't care if she had been a highborn lady, it was perhaps even worse that she was one, especially one so recognizable. He didn't need to tell her that if either Brienne or herself tried to fight them off the situation would get worse. 

Once night fell, the men stopped the horses and drew camp for the night. They had tied Brienne and Rose to one tree and Jaime to another across from them as if already indicating the two women were to be treated differently than Jaime. Locke, their leader had been watching the women with a careful eye, especially Brienne. He liked women who would give a fight and he didn't think Rose Tyrell has the power in her to fight back but the entire sentiment of his behavior was repulsive. The three travelers were tired, bruised, and simply wanted to rest but there would be no rest in the hands of Locke and his men. 

Rose took in the sight around her. Locke and his men were sitting around a fire, eating and drinking like they had not a worry in the world. Their horses were chained and seemed a bit drained themselves as if they had been riding for days on end with no break. Brienne, to Rose, looked almost defeated but kept her head held high even in those intense moments. Rose respected her deeply. She never stopped fighting any battle. But she was dirty, full of mud and her hair was stringy, screaming to be washed. But Rose was no better. Her dress was tattered, her cape too. Her jewelry was long gone and her hair was not much worse than Brienne's. Rose's feet hurt like hell but nothing compared to how Jaime looked. Not only were Brienne and Rose a bit malnourished, Jaime was too and he looked like he crawled out of whatever hell Rose thought her feet felt like. The once strapping knight was battered and bruised with dark circles apparent underneath his eyes. His hair was long and greasy and the beard that grew was covering his face. He was dirty and Rose couldn't place the last time that any of them bathed. All she could do was pity him, but he didn't want anyone's pity. 

Rose was taken out of her thoughts when she heard a herd of men making their way toward Brienne and herself. Her heart beat quickened and she tried to avoid any eye contact with them, hoping she would disappear from the world in that moment. 

"I'll take the big bitch first." One of the men said. They untied the chain from the tree and took Brienne away. Brienne struggled, trying to fight them off before they had taken her behind a wooded area. The men untied Rose's chain and grabbed her by the arms. Rose dragged her feet, making it harder for them to carry her. The men yanked on her arms and lifted her off the ground. Rose kicked and pleaded with the men before she had been taken out of the sight of Jaime. 

Jaime sat helplessly. Inside, he felt an ongoing battle between saving them and protecting himself, but he couldn't let them go through that. Locke was standing next to him. 

"You know who they are don't you?" Locke shrugged at him. He didn't care who they were. 

"A big dumb bitch from who knows where and a pretty whore from I don't give a fuck." 

"She's Brienne of Tarth, her father is Lord Selwyn Tarth. And that pretty whore is Rose Tyrell, daughter of Mace Tyrell. Heard of Tarth or Highgarden?" Jaime questioned Locke but nothing indicated that he was going to listen and let them go. 

"I'm gonna cut your throat." Locke threatened Jaime with a snare.

"They call Tarth the Sapphire Isle. Do you know why? Every sapphire in Westeros was mined on Tarth. sapphire's are gemstones. The blue ones." 

"I know what they are." Locked defended himself. 

"Lord Selwyn would pay his daughter's weight in sapphires if she's returned to him. But only if she's alive. And her honor unbesmirched." 

"And what of the Tyrell?" 

"Lord Tyrell, the Lord of the second richest house in all of Westeros would be willing to pay double what Lord Selwyn would offer in sapphires. Not to mention a generous reward in food as well." Locke pondered a moment and Jaime was more than right by saying these men would much rather have all the wealth in the world. 

"Bring them back here!" He shouted to his men. 

The men brought back Brienne and Rose, both a little bloody in the face even though Jaime had told them not to fight them off before they were tied to the trees when they first arrived. From the looks of it, the men didn't have enough time to hurt them any worse than a few scratches. The men chained them both back to the tree. Neither of them would look Jaime in the eye. Locke lingered by the three. 

Rose felt disgusted and horrified. They hadn't done more than hit her but she was a bit shell shocked about what happened. She could hear Jaime trying to strike a deal with Locke. Her father would never pay these men for what they have done and what he had said about Tarth was a lie. 

"Your father, he'd pay your weight in gold to get you back?" Rose heard Locke ask Jaime and he nodded in return. "You'd be a rich man till the end of your days. And your sons will be rich men and their sons after them. Lands, titles, you'll have them all. The North can't win this war. You're a smart man, you understand that. We have the numbers, we have the gold." 

Locked nodded and agreed. "Aye, you have both." 

"Fighting bravely for a lost cause is admirable. Fighting for a winning cause is far more rewarding." Jaime comments. 

"Hard to argue with that." 

"Now that we're speaking man to man, I wonder if you need to keep me chained to this tree. I'm not asking to be freed from my constraints, but if I could sleep lying down, my back would thank you for it. I'm not as young as resilient as I once was." 

None of them are really. 

Locked also pondered this request. The agreed quickly. "Unchain Ser Jaime from the tree."   
Rose and Brienne watched as Jaime was unchained from the tree, freed from his constraints based on a faulty promise and the fact that Jaime was a male. Brienne's blood boiled. Rose felt a bit broken inside. 

"I suppose you'll be wanting something to eat?" Locked asked him. 

"I'm famished, actually." The women watched as Jaime was given a confusing welcome. They were famished too. 

"I think we've got spare partridge on the fire." 

"Well I do like partridge." Jaime commented hungrily. The Lannister thought he finally had his way in the world again. 

"Bring the bird over and the carving knife. Will this work as a table my Lord." 

Rose knew something was gravely wrong. Locke was mocking Jaime and he was falling right into the trap. 

"Yes this will do-" Jaime was cut off as his arms were grabbed by Locke's men. His legs were kicked in and he was dragged onto a tree stump. Jaime's face was held down on the stump and Locke moved around, holding the carving knife to Jaime's face. 

"You think you're the smartest man here?" Locke spit at him. 

"That everyone alive has to bow and scrape and lick your boots?" 

"My father-" 

"And if you get in any trouble, all you've got to say is my father and that's it. All your troubles go away." 

"Don't." Jaime begged him. Jaime pleaded with him with his life. 

"Have you got something to say? Careful. You don't want to say the wrong thing. You're nothing without your daddy, and your daddy ain't here. Never forget that." 

Locke began walking away but stopped, turned back around and held up the carving knife. Everyone sat in silence and Rose felt as if there was a pit in her stomach. 

"Here. This should help you remember." 

Locke raised his hand high and brought it down on Jaime's right hand. Slicing it clean off of the arm. It was so silent for a moment they could have heard a pin drop. Until a moment later when Jaime's blood curdling scream filled the air.


	14. Chapter 14

Hundreds of miles away in King's Landing, Margaery sat with her Grandmother, Olenna, and Sansa Stark. The gardens emitted an overwhelming sent of perfume and the tea snacks became less and less appetizing as time led on. To say Lady Olenna and Lady Margaery were on a bit of an edge would be an understatement in Sansa's eyes, although Lady Olenna hid it well. Olenna was more than worried. To the Tyrell's, Rose was meant to be sent back to Highgarden over a fortnight ago, which never happened. That caused Olenna to travel to King's Landing, hoping that perhaps Rose would have ended up there, but she hadn't. Olenna could see the constant worry on her other granddaughter's face. She reached over and grasped her hand.

"Everything will be just fine my dear. Rose will be home soon."

Margaery nodded at her grandmother in response. Sansa knew how they felt, not being able to know where their family was or if they were even alive. She had no one left in King's Landing. Just a bastard brother at the wall, a mother and brother fighting a war they might not win, and hopefully three other siblings that somehow were still alive.

"If Rose is smart, she would know the both of you are here, and that Lady Margaery is to wed King Joffrey. I'm sure she has good protection." Olenna scoffed at the naive girl in front of her. She let go of Margaery's hand and clasped them in front of her.

"My granddaughter was a prisoner in your brothers camp. Now, I know it is not your fault my dear but it cannot be a coincidence that the Kingslayer was also a prisoner in that camp and now the both of them are missing. I know my granddaughter. Perhaps I know her better than her own sister does."

Margaery was listening intently. Her grandmother had been almost seasoned in all the cleverness of King's Landing and she was itching to become just as great. But as she was listening to her grandmother, it wasn't hard to see why Rose always wanted her to stay away from King's Landing.

"I know she's out there somewhere. She's somewhere with him. And maybe he can protect her, but only for so long. Love can only stretch so many times before the heart breaks."

It's as if the world finally made complete sense to Margaery. "Do the lions still haunt your thoughts?" Margaery remembers the Red Priestess questioning Rose. Rose never married. She had always said she was not pure enough to be a bride and that father wouldn't marry her to an elder Lord because of it. Rose lived in King's Landing for a large part of Margaery's childhood, she never could visit her.

"I had heard rumors about all of that but I never believed any of it. Rose would never tell me." Margaery looked completely shocked but she also wasn't competely naive. Margaery admired her sister so much growing up that she thought she was the perfect, ideal image of the peoples Princess or what a Queen could be but Rose was very much far from it in the eyes of the people of Westeros.

"I'm sure you've heard some things too Sansa. It is quite amusing how two people who should have never met could fall in love and their love could ruin almost everything. Especially when the royal tart is sitting next to the King."

"Cersei? What could she possibly have done?" Margaery asked her grandmother.

"It's not what she had done my dear, it's what she was going to have done that worried me the most."

That right fucking hand. Jaime Lannister's right hand was dangling from his neck on a piece of rope. A constant reminder of what he used to be. The men tied him back to the tree after he lost consciousness from the pain. Rose sat helplessly watching them drag an already bloody, dirty, pile of rags, back to where he originally sat. But that was a long time ago. Probably going on several hours before. Once Jaime had woken again, he found the stump bandaged poorly and bread sitting in the dirt next to him. Brienne and Rose watched as he refused to eat anything, just sitting and moping against the tree.

A bit later Jaime had hardly eaten but that didn't stop the men from traveling with a practically ill man. The men tied Brienne and Rose to a horse and Jaime alone on another which was bound for disaster. Awhile into their journey to another place, Brienne began calling out, drawing attention to Jaime has he slowly slid off his horse and into the mud below. He was begging for water.

"Water, water!" His voice was coarse and hard to hear. So, Locke got off his horse and went toward Jaime with his canteen swaying at his side.

"If my father-" Jaime went back to his same line of defense even though it wouldn't get him anywhere.

"Alright, alright, enough about your father." Locke went and brought back a water pouch. Jaime took it quickly and chugged most of it. All of a sudden the men started to laugh hysterically at Jaime.

"I've never seen a man drink horse piss so fast!"

Jaime spit out everything and fell back defeatedly. He looked toward Brienne and Rose, helplessly. Rose was praying to the heavens he wouldn't do anything stupid. But at this point what do the gods care, apparently they don't favor Rose in any way. Jaime got up and tried swinging at Locke but was so weak and tired that he was just laughed at. Locke approached Jaime and grabbed him by the neck.

"You ever try that again, I'll have your other hand."

Locke pushed Jaime back into the mud. His face covered with it now. Rose had felt the need to speak up.

"When we return Ser Jaime back to King's Landing, what do you think his father would say about the condition he's in? Not to mention he is missing a hand now? Do you really think that he'll give you the gold now?" Rose called from atop the horse.

"Oh! I didn't know we had a member of the King's council here! This 'Lady' is telling us that we ain't going to get the gold we were promised? Well lads what do you think about that?" Locke wandered over to Rose and Brienne, who were still tied up together on the horse. Rose was facing the back, making it harder for Brienne to see what was going on. The other men were snickering at Locke's comments but apparently no one could ever take a woman seriously.

"Tywin Lannister will have your heads when he finds out who did this to him." Rose sneered at Locke.

"And why do you care?"

"I don't. You want your money don't you?"

Locke observed the scene. Rose's body language appeared tense, closed off, almost ready to pounce on anyone who tried to attack her. Rose took the moment of silence to glance at Jaime in the mud. He was now sitting back on his knees, watching the conversation between Rose and Locke unfold. Jaime and Rose locked eyes for a brief moment, but not going unnoticed by Locke.

"Ah! I see what we have here! Boys! We got ourselves a little star crossed love story!"

The men started whistling and hollering, amused by the situation. Locke placed his dirty hand tightly on Rose's thigh and she clentched her jaw tightly. He turned around to face Jaime in the mud who was withering in pain and frustrated at himself and his position.

"Your lady is trying to help you Kingslayer. You got anything to say about that?"

Jaime was tense already but the situation was gradually getting worse and he was simply too weak to fight back or even try to make fools of them.

"Don't hurt them. They... they didn't do anything."

"Oh we're not going to hurt them. Once we get back to Lord Bolton they'll be in safe hands."   
Locke gave Jaime a sinister smile and let go of Rose. Rose looked to Jaime who was already looking at her. She could read him like a book and his eyes said it all.

It would be a miracle if they got out of Roose Bolton's hands alive. Roose Bolton was no friend and his prisoners had one way to escape their position, death by the hands of a man who took great pride in flaying people if they disobeyed House Bolton.


End file.
